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aerosol
Liquid or particular matter dispersed in air, gas or vapor. It is packaged under pressure & dispersed as a fine mist.
Indications:
Aerosols are used to deliver:
1) pharmaceutical agents, especially for pulmonary conditions
2) insecticides
Pathology:
- any time air is forced over moist respiratory mucosa, it will generate more virus-laden respiratory particles
Procedure:
WHO identifies aerosol-generating procedures
- intubation
- noninvasive positive pressure ventilation
- tracheotomy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- bronchoscopy
- sputum induction [2]
other (potential) aerosol-generating procedures
- nasogastric tube placement
- percutaneous gastric tube placement
- thoracentesis
- esophagogastroduodenoscopy
- colonoscopy
- cardiac catheterization
- exercise tolerance tests
- pulmonary function tests
- facial surgery [2]
Complications:
- in contrast with respiratory droplets, aerosols are minute respiratory particles small enough & light enough to remain suspended in the air for long periods, travel > 6 ft from source, & penetrate or circumnavigate surgical masks.
Management:
- wear N95 respirators during aerosol-generating procedures
- use airborne infection isolation rooms with >= 12 air changes /hour & negative air flow to minimize infectious aerosols & prevent spread beyond the room
Related
aerosolized agent
respiratory tract infection
Specific
hemospray
General
dispense form
References
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999.
- Klompas M, Baker M, Rhee C
What Is an Aerosol-Generating Procedure?
JAMA Surg 2020. Dec 15
PMID: 33320188
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/10.1001/jamasurg.2020.6643