Low flow rate nebulizer apparatus and method of nebulization

A method of delivering a nebulized medicament to a patient, and increasing delivery of pulmonarily effective aerosol particles at low flow rates comprising the steps of:

• (I) providing a nebulizer apparatus including a breathing circuit coupled to the patient and including a small volume nebulizer device, wherein the small volume nebulizer device comprises:
• (a) a housing defining a nebulizer receptacle having an interior volume therewithin, including a reservoir portion for holding medicament therein for entrainment into a carrier gas to form a delivery gas mixture comprising nebulized medicament and carrier gas said nebulizer receptacle having a size defining said nebulizer device as a small volume nebulizer device;
• (b) a discharge port connected to the housing in flow communication with the interior volume therewith in, for discharging the delivery gas mixture from the housing;
• (c) means for increasing delivery of pulmonarily effective aerosol particles at low flow rates through said nebulizer receptacle, comprising:
• a jet passage member having (i) an inlet means for introduction of carrier gas thereinto and (ii) a nozzle means positioned in the interior volume of the housing for discharging carrier gas in jet form into the interior volume of said nebulizer receptacle, for entrainment of medicament from the reservoir portion of the housing in the carrier gas jet, said nozzle portion comprising a nozzle orifice comprising a nozzle orifice accomodating carrier gas flow therethrough, wherein the nozzle orifice has an equivalent orifice diameter in the range of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.015 inch;
• and
• an impingement baffle presenting an impingement surface in alignment with the orifice of the jet passage member;
• (II) disposing a medicament in the reservoir portion of the housing;
• (III) flowing the carrier gas through the jet passage member of the jet nebulizer device and nebulizer receptacle at a flow rate in the range of from about 0.5 to 2.8 liters per minute, to disperse the medicament into the carrier gas and form a pulmonarily effective nebulized medicament in the carrier gas, as a medicant/carrier gas mixture;
• and
• (IV) passing the medicament/carrier gas mixture through the breathing circuit to a pulmonary situs of the patient.