Design of Facemasks for Delivery of Aerosol-Based Medication via Pressurized Metered Dose Inhaler with Valved Holding Chamber: Key Issues that Affect Performance

Valved holding chambers (VHCs) are widely prescribed for use with pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) for the treatment of respiratory disease by aerosol therapy. The facemask is the preferred patient interface for use by infants and small children, as well as by geriatric patients, due primarily to poor coordination skills. However, care is required in the design of the facemask-VHC system to optimize the delivery of medication. In particular, it is essential to achieve an effective mask-to-face seal and to minimize the volume of dead space. It is also important to ensure that the fit of the facemask is comfortable to the patient when applied with sufficient force to create a seal. We review each of these design principles and their application in the evolution of a range of VHCs from the same family of devices during the past fifteen years. We also examine the various methods available for evaluating VHC-facemasks as a system, recommending where future work might be directed.