Abstract: The performance of 14 jet nebulisers was assessed using 4 ml of 0.9% w/v saline and a flow-rate of 10 l/min. Nebulisation time (T), percentage mass of drug released as aerosol (P), rate of emission of aerosol (R) and mass median diameter of aerosol distribution (mmd) were recorded. The Side-Stream (Medic-Aid Ltd.), Sure-Mist (Unimed (UK) Ltd.) and Up-Draft (Hudson Inc.) had the lowest T (561 s, 618 s, 637 s respectively) and the Micro-Cirrus (Intersurgical Ltd.) and Up-Draft II (Hudson Inc.) had the highest T (2466 s, 1659 s respectively). The Micro-Neb III (Lifecare Ltd.), Side-Stream and Respirgard (Marquest Ltd.) produced the highest P (68%, 67%, 66% respectively), the Sure-Mist and Up-draft had the lowest P (46.5%, 39% respectively). The Micro-Cirrus, Up-Draft II (Hudson Inc.) and Venticaire (S and W Vickers) had low R values (0.49, 0.801, 0.905 mg/min respectively), the Side-Stream had the highest R (4.08 mg/min). The Micro-Cirrus had a low mmd (1.04 m). The Pulmo-Neb (DeVilbiss Ltd.), Unineb (Unimed (UK) Ltd.) and Up-Draft had relatively high mmd (4.97 μm, 4.34 μm, 4.24 μm).
