Venturi atomizers as potential sources of patient cross-infection

Venturi-principle atomizers, which rely on compressed air to aerosolize medications, are commonly used in clinical practice to apply topical anesthetics and vasoconstrictors to the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Unfortunately, the mechanism by which these devices operate leads to aspiration of external contaminants back into the device at the end of the spray cycle. This "flaw" in design may make Venturi-principle atomizers unsafe for clinical practice because of the risk of patient cross-infection. This article reviews the mechanism of action of Venturi-principle atomizers, presents the scientific literature regarding their potential for cross-infection of patients, and discusses alternative device options.