Simulation study of electric-guided delivery of 0.4µm monodisperse and polydisperse aerosols to the ostiomeatal complex

• Published in: Computers in biology and medicine 2016-05, Vol.72, p.1-12
• Main Authors: Xi, Jinxiang, Yuan, Jiayao Eddie, Si, Xiuhua April
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosols; Charged particles; Disease; Drug dosages; Efficiency; Electric guidance; Electricity; Humans; Lungs; Maxillary sinus; Models, Theoretical; Nose; Numerical analysis; Ostiomeatal complex OMC; Particle Size; Rhinosinusitis; Sinuses; Sinusitis - drug therapy; Studies; Surgery; Ventilation
• ISSN: 0010-4825; 1879-0534
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2016.03.001

Despite the high prevalence of rhinosinusitis, current inhalation therapy shows limited efficacy due to extremely low drug delivery efficiency to the paranasal sinuses. Novel intranasal delivery systems are needed to enhance targeted delivery to the sinus with therapeutic dosages. An optimization framework for intranasal drug delivery was developed to target polydisperse charged aerosols to the ostiomeatal complex (OMC) with electric guidance. The delivery efficiency of a group of charged aerosols recently reported in the literature was numerically assessed and optimized in an anatomically accurate nose-sinus model. Key design variables included particle charge number, particle size and distribution, electrode strength, and inhalation velocity. Both monodisperse and polydisperse aerosol profiles were considered. Results showed that the OMC delivery efficiency was highly sensitive to the applied electric field and electrostatic charges carried by the particles. Through the synthesis of electric-guidance and point drug release, focused deposition with significantly enhanced dosage in the OMC can be achieved. For 0.4µm charged aerosols, an OMC delivery efficiency of 51.6% was predicted for monodisperse aerosols and 34.4% for polydisperse aerosols. This difference suggested that the aerosol profile exerted a notable effect on intranasal deliveries. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the OMC deposition fraction was highly sensitive to the charge and size of particles and was less sensitive to the inhalation velocity considered in this study. Experimental studies are needed to validate the numerically optimized designs. Further studies are warranted to investigate the targeted OMC delivery with both electric and acoustics controls, the latter of which has the potential to further deliver the drug particles into the sinus cavity. •The performance of an intranasal delivery system targeting the ostiomeatal complex (OMC) was numerically evaluated in an image-based nose-sinus model for monodisperse and polydisperse aerosols.•With the synergy of optimized point-release and electric control, an OMC delivery efficiency of 34.4% was predicted for the polydisperse charged aerosols.•Sensitivity analysis showed that OMC deposition was highly sensitive to particle charge and size and less sensitive to the inhalation flow rate.•Simulations showed significantly enhanced OMC dosage using the proposed delivery system than standard nasal devices.