Objectives: The aim of this study was to know the effects of endotracheal suction in respiratory mechanics and oxigenation of patients with mechanical ventilation.
Methods: 13 children were studied in the pediatric intensive care unit of Hospital São Paulo, age between 47 days and 5 years old, male and female, surgical and clinic pathology, intubated by cuffed endotracheal tube, sedated and paralyzed few minutes before measurements, under previous established suction routine without preventive maneuvers, followed by a continuous monitoring of oxygenation, ventilation and respiratory mechanics under identical ventilatory sets. The parameters analyzed was Heart rate; SpO2; ph arterial; PaO2; PaCO2; SaO2; inspiratory and expiratory tidal volume; minute volume; dynamic compliance, respiratory resistance; mean airway pressure; PEEP and PEEPi., and the measurements were made immediately before suction, immediately after, ten and twenty minutes after suction
Results: The results showed that the technique increase the CO2 arterial pressures (PaCO2) even after 20 minutes; decrease the oxygen saturation (SpO2) immediately after the procedure with regular recuperation after 10 minutes and decrease the lung compliance (Cdin.) immediately after with lower recuperation after 10 minutes.
Conclusion: We concluded that intratracheal suction in front of compromise of oxygenation, ventilation or respiratory mechanic, applied as minimal as possible under preventive maneuvers. We need more studies to establish the real need of intratracheal suction and a practice guideline of intervention to avoid deleterious effects of that in pediatric patients.