When your patient cannot mobilize and clear secretions on his own, you may need to suction his airway. Your method of suctioning will depend on whether the patient has an artificial airway and what portion of the airway needs to be cleared.

Endotracheal suctioning can reduce morbidity and mortality. But like all medical procedures, endotracheal suctioning carries a risk of complications, particularly when treating vulnerable patients or in the hands of inexperienced providers. 

For adults and children, respiratory diseases are typically just a minor annoyance. For neonates, they can be fatal. Respiratory distress is a leading cause of death in newborns, particularly premature infants. In addition to infectious causes, it can also occur in the moments following birth. About 7 percent of neonates experience respiratory distress shortly after being born.

The past year has seen an unprecedented surge in airway emergencies, with millions of people across the globe infected by the COVID-19 virus. Whether your agency previously suctioned people daily or suction is new to your repertoire, odds are you’re doing more suctioning than ever before. 

COVID has changed virtually everything about respiratory care. For many agencies, respiratory emergencies requiring suction were once relatively rare, especially in some regions. Now, they’re a standard part of daily care, and every care provider must become a suction expert.

Your suction machine is an unassuming but key ingredient in your emergency preparedness kit. It allows you to help patients remain comfortable, reduce their risk of serious airway complications, and—in some cases—save their lives. 

Your BLS engine company is dispatched to a “difficulty breathing” call and your ALS rescue is still in the process of delivering their previous patient to the hospital. Dispatch is sending the next closest rescue, but the responding unit has just notified you that they are held up by a train. You arrive on scene, grab your O2 bag and jump kit and head inside. You and your fellow EMTs are on your own, at least for the next several minutes. You had better be prepared to assess and initiate treatment for a patient in respiratory distress!

It has been a rough year for EMS providers and healthcare systems. Interventions that were once relatively rare have now become routine. You may have noticed that your suction devices aren’t working as well as they once were, and weighing whether it is time to replace your battery-operated suction machine. 

Medicine is an ever-changing landscape. As technology improves, new equipment is created that performs better, is safer, and easier to use. Yet, some devices withstand the test of time and have been with us for decades.