BACKGROUND Airway suctioning in mechanically ventilated patients is required to maintain airway patency. Closed suction catheters (CSCs) minimize lung volume loss during suctioning but require cleaning post-suction. Despite their widespread use, there is no published evidence examining lung volumes during CSC cleaning. The study objectives were to quantify lung volume changes during CSC cleanin...

BACKGROUND The global burden of stillbirth and neonatal deaths remains a challenge in low-income countries. Training in neonatal resuscitation can reduce intrapartum stillbirth and early neonatal mortality. Previous results demonstrate that infants who previously would have been registered as stillbirths are successfully resuscitated after such training, suggesting that there is a process of se...

Suctioning intubated patients aids in removing secretions and maintaining a patent airway, while promoting optimal ventilation and oxygenation. The development of guidelines by Brooks et al supports clinical decision making by taking into consideration both the benefits and complications associated with the procedure. Recommendations for preoxygenation, hyperoxygenation, hyperinflation plus met...

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that an adult 8.0 endotracheal tube (ETT) connected to a neonatal meconium aspirator would improve suctioning during emergent endotracheal intubation compared to the Yankauer suction instrument, the standard tool used by emergency physicians. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of a Yankauer vs. an ETT-meconium aspirator set-up in s...

COMMUNICATIONSTO THE EDITOR 353 1) wiping the insertion tube with a 20 percent povidone iodine scrub solution. 2) suctioning iodine scrub solution through the biopsy channel and cleaning the channel with the cleaning brush. 3) suctioning sterile water through the channel. 4) suctioning freshly activated gluteraldehyde through the channel and soaking the entire insertion tube for 10 minutes. 5) ...