Types of nebulizers | Advantages | Disadvantages | Brands |
Jet | - Less expensive
- Enhanced designs have improved performance and reduced aerosol waste during the exhalation phase
| - Require a source of compressed air or oxygen
- Lower efficiency
| Breath-enhanced, open-vent: - Pari LC Plus
- Pari LC Star
- Pari Baby
- Ventstream
Storage bag: Nebulizers with closed scavenging systems for toxic medications: |
Ultrasonic* | - Do not require a source of driving gas
- Can nebulize large volumes of liquid
- Shorter delivery time than jet nebulizers
| - Larger aerosolized particle sizes
- High-density aerosols can cause bronchospasm and increased airway resistance
- Lower efficiency
- May breakdown complex molecules
| - Beetle Neb Compact Ultrasonic Nebulizer
- MiniBreeze Ultrasonic Nebulizer
- Sonic Mist Ultrasonic Nebulizer
|
Vibrating mesh | - Do not require a source of driving gas
- Shorter delivery time than jet nebulizers
- Aerosolized particles are highly uniform and respirable
- More portable (light weight and smaller size)
- More efficient than jet nebulizer (minimizes drug waste)
| - More expensive
- Require disassembly and cleaning after each use
| - eFlow, Altera, Trio
- Aeroneb
- MicroAIR, NE-U22
- I-neb
|