Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of Mouthpiece Geometry on the Aerosol Delivery Performance of a Dry Powder Inhaler

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Pharmaceutical Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the influence of mouthpiece geometry on the amount of throat deposition and device retention produced using a dry powder inhaler (Aerolizer®), along with the subsequent effect on the overall inhaler performance.

Materials and Methods

Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis of the flowfield generated in the Aerolizer® with various modified mouthpiece geometries (including cylindrical, conical and oval designs) was used in conjunction with experimental dispersions of mannitol powder using a multi-stage liquid impinger to determine how the overall inhaler performance varied as the mouthpiece geometry was modified.

Results

Geometry of the inhaler mouthpiece had no effect on device retention or the inhaler dispersion performance. In contrast, the mouthpiece geometry strongly affected the amount of throat deposition by controlling the axial component of the exit air flow velocity. The radial motion of the emitted aerosol jet was found to have little effect on throat deposition in representative mouth–throat models. Despite the reduced throat deposition, there was no difference in the overall inhaler performance.

Conclusions

For cases where low throat deposition is a key design parameter, this study demonstrates that the amount of throat deposition can be reduced by making minor modifications to the inhaler mouthpiece design.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. R. Clark. Medical aerosol inhalers: past, present, and future. Aerosol Sci. Technol. 22:374–391 (1995).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. H.-K. Chan. Inhalation drug delivery devices and emerging technologies. Expert Opin. Ther. Pat. 13:1333–1343 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. C. A. Dunbar, A. J. Hickey, and P. Holzner. Dispersion and characterization of pharmaceutical dry powder aerosols. KONA 16:7–44 (1998).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. D. Prime, P. J. Atkins, A. Slater, and B. Sumby. Review of dry powder inhalers. Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 26:51–58 (1997).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. A. I. Bot, T. E. Tarara, D. J. Smith, S. R. Bot, C. M. Woods, and J. G. Weers. Novel lipid-based hollow-porous microparticles as platform for immunoglobin delivery to the respiratory tract. Pharm. Res. 17:275–283 (2000).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. N. Y. K. Chew and H.-K. Chan. Use of solid corrugated particles to enhance powder aerosol performance. Pharm. Res. 18:1570–1577 (2001).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. D. A. Edwards, J. Hanes, G. Caponetti, J. Hrkach, A. Ben-Jebria, M. L. Eskew, J. Mintzes, D. Deaver, N. Lotan, and R. Langer. Large porous particles for pulmonary drug delivery. Science 276:1868–1871 (1997).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. D. L. French, D. A. Edwards, and R. W. Niven. The influence of formulation on emission, deaggregation and deposition of dry powders for inhalation. J. Aerosol Sci. 27:769–783 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. N. Y. K. Chew and H.-K. Chan. Influence of particle size, air flow, and inhaler device on the dispersion of mannitol powders. Pharm. Res. 16:1098–1103 (1999).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Hindle and P. R. Byron. Dose emissions from marketed dry powder inhalers. Int. J. Pharm. 116:169–177 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. H. Steckel and B. W. Müller. In vitro evaluation of dry powder inhalers I: drug deposition of commonly used devices. Int. J. Pharm. 154:19–29 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. L. Borgström, L. Asking, B. Olsson, and L. Thorsson. Throat retention can explain the variability in lung deposition. J. Aerosol Med. 18:99 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. W. H. DeHaan and W. H. Finlay. Predicting extrathoracic deposition from dry powder inhalers. J. Aerosol Sci. 35:309–331 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. B. Grgic, W. H. Finlay, P. K. P. Burnell, and A. F. Heenen. In vitro intersubject and intrasubject deposition measurements in realistic mouth–throat geometries. J. Aerosol Sci. 35:1025–1040 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. W. Stahlhofen, G. Rudolf, and A. C. James. Intercomparison of experimental regional aerosol deposition data. J. Aerosol Med. 2:285–308 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  16. M. S. Coates, D. F. Fletcher, H.-K. Chan, and J. A. Raper. Effect of design on the performance of a dry powder inhaler using computational fluid dynamics. Part 1: grid structure and mouthpiece length. J. Pharm. Sci. 93:2863–2876 (2004).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. B. Grgic, W. H. Finlay, and A. F. Heenen. Regional aerosol deposition and measurements in an idealized mouth and throat. J. Aerosol Sci. 35:21–32 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. F. R. Menter. Two-equation eddy-viscosity models for engineering applications. AIAA J. 32:269–289 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. ANSYS CFX, 2003. http://www.ansys.com/cfx. (accessed 08/01/04).

  20. M. S. Coates, H.-K. Chan, D. F. Fletcher, and J. A. Raper. The role of capsule on the performance of a dry powder inhaler using computational and experimental analyses. Pharm. Res. 22:923–932 (2005).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. M. S. Coates, H.-K. Chan, D. F. Fletcher, and J. A. Raper. Influence of air flow on the performance of a dry powder inhaler using computational and experimental analyses. Pharm. Res. 22:1445–1453 (2005).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. P. G. Stecher, M. Windholz, and D. S. Leahy. The Merck Index: An encyclopedia of chemicals and drugs. 8th Edition, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Y. Zhang, W. H. Finlay, and E. A. Matida. Particle deposition measurements and numerical simulation in a highly idealized mouth–throat. J. Aerosol Sci. 35:789–803 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. A. F. Heenen, W. H. Finlay, B. Grgic, A. Pollard, and P. K. P. Burnell. An investigation of the relationship between the flow field and regional deposition in realistic extra-thoracic airways. J. Aerosol Sci. 35:1013–1023 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is funded by a grant from the Australian Research Council. Matthew S. Coates was a recipient of an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. The authors would like to thank Plastiape S.p.A. for the modification and supply of the inhalers. The authors would also like to acknowledge that the source of the Alberta geometry used in this work was kindly provided from Dr. Finlay’s Aerosol Research Laboratory of Alberta at the University of Alberta, Canada.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Matthew S. Coates & David F. Fletcher

  2. Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Matthew S. Coates, Hak-Kim Chan & Herbert Chiou

  3. Pfizer Global R&D, Inhalation and Device Centre of Emphasis, Cambridge Research Centre, Cambridge, UK

    Matthew S. Coates

Authors
  1. Matthew S. Coates
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hak-Kim Chan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David F. Fletcher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Herbert Chiou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hak-Kim Chan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coates, M.S., Chan, HK., Fletcher, D.F. et al. Influence of Mouthpiece Geometry on the Aerosol Delivery Performance of a Dry Powder Inhaler. Pharm Res 24, 1450–1456 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-007-9262-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-007-9262-z

Key words

Search

Navigation