Background on inhalation therapy

How our lungs clean themselves and what scavenger cells are

Our airways have a very good filter – the self-cleaning mechanism: Large particles of dirt get stuck in the nose and are blown out. All our airways have mucous membranes and fine hairs called cilia. In healthy people, foreign bodies like viruses and bacteria stick to the mucous membranes. The beating motion of the cilia transports foreign bodies towards the throat. If the foreign bodies are very small and reach the smallest branches of the lungs (the alveoli) the lungs are cleaned with the aid of macrophages. Macrophages are part of our immune system and are also called scavenger cells or phagocytes. Foreign bodies and pathogens are detected, engulfed, broken down by enzymes and rendered harmless.

What happens if the cleaning mechanism is impaired

In the winter, for example, when central heating is turned up full blast, the mucous membranes can dry out. This impairs the natural self-cleaning mechanism of our airways. If the protective moisture film is missing, we can catch a cold because viruses and bacteria can reach the mucosal cells more easily. This is why it is advisable to nebulise an isotonic saline solution to prevent colds (link to inhalation solutions). This re-moistens the airways, helping to remove pathogens; it can also have a positive impact during pollen season. But too much mucus is also a problem. The fine hairs then cannot remove viruses and bacteria as effectively. In this case, nebulising hypertonic saline solutions can help to liquefy the mucus. This also supports the lung’s natural cleaning mechanism.

Aerosol – soothing fine mist from the nebuliser

To allow the isotonic or hypertonic saline solution or medication mixture to have the desired effect, a PARI nebuliser produces very fine droplets. This aerosol, as it is called, is directly absorbed via the mucous membranes. Whether the aerosol acts in the nose, the sinuses or the lungs depends on, among other factors, its size. Larger droplets only get to the upper airways (the mouth, throat, the larynx or the nasal region). Smaller and finer droplets on the other hand, can get deep into your lungs.

What the colours of the nebuliser inserts mean

The nebuliser chamber is what actually generates the aerosol, so it is the most vital component of the entire nebuliser system. To ensure that the aerosol has the optimum effect at a certain site, such as the sinuses or the lungs, a specific aerosol has to be generated. The nebulisers from the PARI LC SPRINT family are fitted with nozzle attachments in a range of colours. Each colour generates a different droplet size adjusted to the age group or the clinical condition.

The following nozzle attachments are available: