Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
An aerosol mask is a lightweight, disposable face mask that holds a nebulizer or aerosol tubing against the nose and mouth so a spontaneously breathing patient can inhale an aerosol. This guide is for clinic staff, buyers and students who need to know what the product is, what it connects to and what a manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU) state. It separates the aerosol mask from oxygen masks and protective masks, and it attributes every specification to its source.
What an aerosol mask is
One manufacturer’s IFU (AirLife, supplemental IFU 840085 Rev D) defines the aerosol mask as “a device placed over a patient’s nose or mouth to administer aerosols” and states that it is used with a nebulizer “to deliver aerosolized medication to the mouth and nose in spontaneously breathing patients.” The same IFU lists the device as non-sterile, disposable and for single-patient use, and lists no known contraindications.
Who uses it: the IFU names hospitals, sub-acute settings, medical clinics, pre-hospital care, the home, surgical centers and skilled nursing facilities as use environments, and names infant, pediatric and adult patients as the target group. The product is restricted to sale by or on the order of a physician.
It is not a respirator or surgical mask. Protective masks filter what the wearer breathes in; an aerosol mask is a delivery interface for a therapy device. For the nebulizer itself, see what a nebulizer is.
How it is built and how it connects
The IFU describes a mask with an elastic strap and an adjustable nose bar, and a connector sized for a 22 mm fitting. The connector is inserted into a nebulizer, or connected to aerosol tubing. A PARI product page describes its adult aerosol mask as having a “front-load design” that “directs aerosol towards patient’s mouth,” an adjustable strap, and construction without latex or phthalates.
The second connection route is large-volume. An AARC clinical practice guideline on neonatal and pediatric oxygen delivery (Respiratory Care, 2002 revision, cited here for how the devices are described) says air-entrainment nebulizers are gas-powered, large-volume nebulizers with an adjustable air-entrainment port that determines the specific oxygen concentration, and that “a corrugated hose serves as a conduit from the nebulizer to an aerosol mask, face tent, tracheostomy collar, or T-piece.” In that arrangement the mask is only the patient interface; the concentration is set at the nebulizer, not by the mask. For the collar alternative, see the tracheostomy collar guide, and for the tubing see oxygen tubing.
Types and related names
Retail names vary. “Aerosol face mask” is the same product class as an aerosol mask. “Pediatric nebulizer mask” and “oxygen mask, pediatric” are searches for the same interface or for neighbouring devices, and the table keeps them apart using only documented statements.
| Device or name | Typical use (as documented) | Key difference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerosol mask, AirLife (Vyaire) | With a nebulizer or aerosol tubing in spontaneously breathing patients; target group infant, pediatric and adult | Non-sterile, single-patient, 22 mm connector, labeled for flow of 5-8 LPM | Manufacturer IFU 840085 Rev D |
| Adult aerosol mask, PARI | Adult and teen patients who cannot use a mouthpiece | Front-load design directs aerosol toward the mouth | PARI product page |
| Adult aerosol mask, Sunset Healthcare (GUDID listing) | Registered as a single-use device | Listed under FDA product code BYF, “Mask, Oxygen, Low Concentration, Venturi”; no device sizes recorded; the entry does not carry a “not made with natural rubber latex” label | NLM AccessGUDID, DI 00848530060978 |
| Face tent, tracheostomy collar, T-piece | Alternative interfaces fed by the same corrugated hose from an air-entrainment nebulizer | Different interface at the end of the same large-volume system | AARC guideline (2002) |
A non-rebreather or simple oxygen mask is a different device that delivers oxygen from a source rather than holding a nebulizer; masks of that kind sit in the lac.us category for CPAP and oxygen masks, and see CPAP and oxygen mask types and what a non-rebreather mask is.
How to choose: criteria the sources state
No sized pediatric table is given here because the AirLife IFU simply names infant, pediatric and adult as its target group. The criteria the sources state are:
- Target group. Match the mask to the patient group named in its own IFU (the AirLife IFU: infant, pediatric, adult; the PARI adult mask: teen and adult).
- Connector. The AirLife IFU specifies a 22 mm connector, so the nebulizer or tubing end must fit that size.
- Flow rate. The AirLife IFU gives 5-8 LPM for use and warns to use at least 5 LPM to prevent carbon dioxide accumulation and re-breathing.
- Single-patient and time limit. The AirLife IFU says the mask is disposable and “not intended for prolonged use greater than seven days.”
- Material labeling. PARI states its adult mask is not made with latex or phthalates, while the GUDID entry for the Sunset Healthcare mask has no “not made with natural rubber latex” label; check the labeling of the specific product.
These are one manufacturer’s values; another brand’s IFU may differ, so the product’s own IFU governs.
Safe use and handling basics
From the AirLife IFU warnings and cautions:
- If oxygen is in use, keep the setup away from flame and heat sources.
- Components may present a choking hazard.
- The clinician or caregiver should avoid inhaling the aerosolized medication.
- A physician should be consulted if infection, skin irritation or material sensitization occurs.
- Dispose of the mask under local, state and national regulation, and report serious incidents to the manufacturer and the competent authority.
The AARC guideline also notes that air-entrainment nebulizers produce high noise in enclosed environments and are susceptible to contamination, a reason the disposable, single-patient status of the interface matters. For a wider supply list, see the pediatric clinic supply checklist.
Common mistakes
- Treating an aerosol mask as an oxygen-concentration device. In a large-volume system the nebulizer’s entrainment port sets the concentration (AARC), not the mask.
- Running flow below the labeled range. The AirLife IFU ties flow under 5 LPM to carbon dioxide accumulation and re-breathing.
- Reusing the mask between patients or past seven days, both contrary to the AirLife IFU’s single-patient and time-limit statements.
- Assuming every brand shares one connector size. The 22 mm figure comes from one IFU.
FAQ
What is an aerosol face mask?
It is the same product class as an aerosol mask: a face mask that carries an aerosol from a nebulizer or aerosol tubing to a spontaneously breathing patient, per the AirLife IFU.
Is there a pediatric nebulizer mask?
The AirLife aerosol mask IFU names infant, pediatric and adult patients as its target group. No sized table is given for it, so sizing comes from the specific product’s labeling.
Is an aerosol mask the same as a pediatric oxygen mask?
Not by function. The aerosol mask is the interface for aerosol delivery; in a large-volume system the oxygen concentration is set at the nebulizer (AARC). The Sunset Healthcare GUDID listing is filed under an FDA oxygen-mask product code, which is a registry class, not a statement of clinical use. Oxygen-only masks are covered in the CPAP and oxygen mask guide.
Sources
- AirLife / Vyaire, “Supplemental IFU – Aerosol Mask” (840085 Rev D): https://connect.myairlife.com/resources/840085,%20Supplemental%20IFU%20-%20Aerosol%20Mask_RevD.pdf (checked 2026-10-30).
- NLM AccessGUDID, Adult Aerosol Mask (DI 00848530060978): https://accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/00848530060978 (checked 2026-10-30).
- AARC Clinical Practice Guideline, “Neonatal and Pediatric O2 Delivery,” Respiratory Care 2002;47(6): https://www.aarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/06.02.707.pdf (checked 2026-10-30).
- PARI, “Adult Aerosol Mask”: https://www.pari.com/us-en/products/aerosol-masks/adult-aerosol-mask (checked 2026-10-30).
