Inhalation chamber

Question

Hello,
Can you give advice to us parents how to clean the inhalation chamber:
frequency, product to use ... Thanks in advance.

Answer

Hello,
you are bringing-up the issue of cleaning and maintenance of a so-called inhalation chamber, that is used when inhaling with pressured metered dose inhalers to reduce the deposition of the drug in the mouth and to enhance the part that reaches the lung. Especially children, who cannot coordinate their breating-in exactly with the time of pressuring the dose inhaler, are recommended to use such an inhalation chamber. There are different products on the market. Some of those are not suitable for boiling/vaporization (this can be read in the corresponding instruction leaflet that is attached to the product), so I recommend a maintenance after each use, wash with dishwashing liquid (or dishwasher), rinsing and wiping meticulously. Then this material will be stored in a clean and dry place.
One has to have in mind, that some of the devices have to be dried out by air not rubbed dry as the electrostatic charge of the surface does not allow it, the newer products are however mostly antistatic (please find this also in the instruction leaflet of the respective product).
Some inhalation chambers can be sterilized by boiling/vaporization, so this should then be done according to the instructions, as those procedures are killing germs and offer a larger degree of security concerning the risk of contamination of inhalation devices compared to just rinsing with dishwashing liquid.
Sincerely,
Yann Kerneur and Daniela d’Alquen

27.05.2014