Partially ventilated endotracheal suction. Use in newborns with respiratory distress syndrome
L. P. Gunderson, A. J. McPhee and E. F. Donovan
Ventilator adapters that permit endotracheal suction without disconnection
from mechanical ventilation may overcome several of the theoretical
contributors to the hypoxia and bradycardia associated with neonatal
endotracheal suction. Such an adapter allows for partially ventilated
endotracheal suction (PVETS) as opposed to traditional, nonventilated
endotracheal suction. To test the clinical value of PVETS using an endhole
adapter, changes in transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen and heart
rate were compared during paired PVETS and nonventilated endotracheal
suction events on 32 occasions in 11 premature neonates with respiratory
distress syndrome. Partially ventilated endotracheal suction was associated
with a significant decrease in the incidence and severity of hypoxic
events. Partially ventilated endotracheal suction, however, did not affect
the incidence of bradycardic events; PVETS had a small but statistically
significant effect on reducing the severity of bradycardia. No clear
relationship between bradycardic and hypoxic events was evident.
