hygiene

Question

Thanks for giving the cleaning recommendations for a valved holding chamber used with the buccal tip (Vortex). I clean the VHC with soap and water every day and use once a week a non thermic disinfection. Is it enough? Thanks.

Answer

Hello and thanks for your question about the disinfection of the devices producing aerosols. If we have several recommendations concerning the washing and the disinfection of the nebulizers, we have no advice for the VHCs used for delivering pressurized metered-dose inhalers. However in some diseases such as asthma a microbial contamination (pseudomonas, moulds, etc.) has been found in 30-40% of the cases (this rate may reach up to 60% with a nebulizer). It is important to follow the instructions of the manufacturer, as due to electrostatic issues of the surface of the chamber a disinfection is not recommended in many cases, often just rinsing with soap water and drying at air without using a towel also due to electrostatic issues. For CF patients, it might be important to choose that kind of inhalative system, which can be cleaned and disinfected easily.
With my best regards,
Pr JC Dubus

15.11.2011