Ventilation and drug delivery to the paranasal sinuses: studies in a nasal cast using pulsating airflow.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Although there is a high incidence of nasal disorders including chronic sinusitis, there is limited success in the topical drug delivery to the nose and the paranasal sinuses. This is caused by the nose being an efficient filter for inhaled aerosol particles and the paranasal sinuses being virtually non ventilated

METHOD:

The objective of this study was to visualize the efficiency of sinus ventilation in a nasal cast using dynamic 81mKr-gas imaging in combination with pulsating airflows. Furthermore, the efficiency of the deposition of radiolabelled aerosol was assessed.

RESULTS:

Pulsation increased ventilation efficiency of the sinuses more than fivefold and aerosol deposition efficiency more than twentyfold, compared to delivery without pulsation. Furthermore pulsation increased aerosol deposition in the nasal airways by a factor of three. Using pulsating airflow Kr-gas ventilation and aerosol deposition efficiencies increased with increasing sinus volume. Pulsating airflow resulted in a deposition of up to 8% of the nebulized drug within the sinuses compared to 0.2% without pulsation.

CONCLUSIONS:

The study demonstrates the high efficiency of a pulsating airflow in paranasal sinus ventilation and aerosolized drug delivery. This proves that topical drug delivery to the paranasal sinuses in relevant quantities is possible.

• Authors: Winfried Möller, Uwe Schuschnig, Gabriele Meyer, Heribert Mentzel, Manfred Keller
• Journal: Rhinology (Rhinology) Vol. 46 Issue 3 Pg. 213-20 (Sep 2008) ISSN: 0300-0729 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 18853874 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Aerosols
• Gases
• Krypton

Topics

• Administration, Intranasal
• Aerosols (administration & dosage, pharmacokinetics)
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Gamma Cameras
• Gases
• Humans
• Krypton
• Paranasal Sinuses (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Pulmonary Ventilation (physiology)
• Pulsatile Flow
• Radionuclide Imaging
• Sinusitis (drug therapy)