Common Canister Protocol for Inhaler Administration in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Many hospitals employ a common canister inhaler protocol in patients that do not require mechanical ventilator support. Common canister refers to a single inhaler paired with standardized cleaning methods for use on more than one patient. Small reports suggest that this method does not pose an increased infectious risk and is associated with significant cost savings.

Common canister protocols offer a solution to the discordance between inhaler sizes and average inpatient use of the drugs. Metered dose inhaler canisters are contain enough drug for several days to weeks of daily use. However, the average length of stay for most inpatients is only several days. Therefore, most inpatients do not use all of the canister contents, an unused resource that is potentially wasted.

The common canister approach has not been previously described in mechanically ventilated patients (people requiring intensive care unit admission on breathing machines). This study aims to assess the safety of common canister utilization by assessment and comparison of infection rates in the study and control group.