Virtually every medical office worker, dental care provider, hospital employee, or first responder must use medical suctioning. Suctioning can be an important emergency intervention as well as a key aspect of routine care. The type of suctioning a provider must use depends on many factors, including the health of the patient, the type of suctioning machine available, and the reason for suctioning. Understanding the various types of suctioning you might use can help you choose the right tools and ensure you and your team are always well-trained on the latest techniques. 

Massive health disasters are increasingly common. As climate change accelerates, so too will the rate at which people die or are injured because of climate-related natural disasters. In 2018, natural disasters claimed more than 10,000 lives worldwide. Infections and diseases such as HIV/AIDS, food and waterborne illnesses, and the flu can also trigger widespread public health catastrophes. Illnesses are increasingly intersecting with natural disasters to produce serious emergencies. Natural disasters displace people, cause crowded conditions, and increase the risk of poor sanitation, allowing disease to more rapidly spread. Public health nurses play a critical role in educating the public and providing support to those recovering from various disasters. 

Mortality estimates for aspiration pneumonia vary. At least 5 percent of people who are hospitalized for aspiration will die. Among those with other complications, such as emphysema, the mortality rate rises to 20 percent or higher. Among geriatric populations, mortality skyrockets. A 2013 study of elderly patients put 30-day mortality at 21 percent. First responders, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers must always treat aspiration pneumonia as a medical emergency with a high mortality risk. Diligent airway management can prevent aspiration pneumonia in many emergent and surgical scenarios, and prompt emergency intervention can reduce aspirate volume in people actively aspirating. 

Sooner or later, every nurse must suction a patient. For nurses who work in intensive care units or emergency care or who support patients with spinal cord injuries, suctioning may be a daily part of the job. When suctioning becomes routine, it’s easy to lose sight of the risks. A few simple precautionary measures can reduce the risk and improve patient outcomes. 

Fear of visiting the dentist and undergoing oral surgery can make patients reluctant to seek dental care and increase their discomfort when they do. Many Americans suffer from some form of dental anxiety. Oral surgery to treat cavities, infections, broken teeth, and jaw and gingival health issues are among the most common medical procedures. 

Medical providers have long used pulse oximeters as a quick and easy way to assess blood oxygen levels. But the amount of CO2 a person expires is an equally useful piece of information that provides key details about ventilation. Capnography is now widely available in the field and provides clear data about the amount of CO2 expired at each stage of respiration. Using capnography during medical suction can reduce the risk of hypoxia and provide additional details about patients at risk of serious suction-related complications. 

Airway obstructions are common and may even be underreported. The prevalence and type of airway obstruction varies with age. Children younger than 4, for example, are more vulnerable to choking-related upper airway obstructions, and adults commonly experience airway obstruction caused by complications from smoking. First responders will inevitably encounter a wide variety of airway obstructions and must be prepared to promptly respond to each with appropriate medical care. Here are the most common causes of upper airway obstruction. 

More than 17,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries each year, and an estimated 249,000-363,000 Americans are living with spinal cord injuries. A few generations ago, a spinal cord injury was often a death sentence, and almost always meant a much shorter life. Thanks to better medical care and greater awareness, most spinal cord injury sufferers survive, and many go on to live long and healthy lives. Despite these improvements, respiratory issues are common in SCI survivors. Pneumonia is a leading cause of death in this group, often due to complications of respiratory infections and poorly managed airway obstructions. First responders and other providers must be prepared to rapidly respond to airway issues in SCI patients, whether treating the immediate aftermath of a spinal cord injury or providing care to long-term SCI survivors. 

A suction catheter is one of the most versatile, useful pieces of medical equipment in your supply bag. Whether it’s preventing emergencies before they start or offering life-saving treatment when a person cannot effectively breathe on their own, the right suction catheter is critical to doing your job. Here are 6 key suction catheter uses.