Abstract
Background: Conventional sputum suction is a routine clinical practice, but complications may arise from the blind manipulation of the catheter. Recently, a visual sputum suction system (VSSS) was developed. We hypothesized that this new system would be feasible and efficient for sputum suction in a laboratory setting.
Methods: We used 1.5% and 3.0% coagulant to simulate mucus and sputum. Conventional single-lumen and triple-lumen catheters were inserted separately into a beaker for sputum suction (15 s, 200 mmHg). Then a micro-imaging fiber was integrated into the triple-lumen catheter to create the VSSS. The single-lumen catheter and the VSSS were inserted separately into the mouth cavity, the nasal cavity, the tracheostomy tube, and the endotracheal tube of a human analogue model for further comparisons.
Results: As the suction channel of the triple-lumen catheter was reduced by 46.8%, the amount of simulant it suctioned was significantly less than that suctioned by the single-lumen catheter. However, under real-time guidance, the VSSS suctioned more simulant than the conventional single-lumen catheter in a human analogue model.
Conclusion: Sputum suction with this new system was feasible. Because of its real-time imaging guidance, the efficiency of the VSSS procedure was greater than that of the conventional single-lumen catheter. Therefore, this system may provide a new platform for sputum suction in the future.
Footnotes
- ↵*Correspondence: Huisheng Deng MD PhD; Department of Gerontology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1st You Yi road, Chongqing 400016, China; E-mail: denghuisheng_2004{at}163.com; Telephone: (86) 23-89011637; Fax: (86) 23-89011632
Conflict of interest: The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.
The funding sources: This study was supported by the Chongqing science & technology commission(CSTC, 2009AB5218) and the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No, 81201173). The funding sources did not influence design of the study, data analysis, manuscript preparation, review, or authorization for submission.
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