The aspiration catheter from TM Medicare is designed to remove sputum and secretions from the patient's respiratory tract. With the help of a catheter, it is possible to sanitize the respiratory tract both in patients who breathe on their own, and in patients with a tracheostomy or endotracheal tube, including those connected to a ventilator. A sure sign of the need for rehabilitation is bubbling in the tracheostomy tube, the appearance of sputum in it.
Sanitation of the respiratory tract is not too complicated or lengthy procedure. It is necessary to open the package (it is imperative to use gloves), attach the catheter to the suction pump and check if there is pressure (if the catheter is with a valve, you should open it). The aspiration catheter is gently and quickly inserted into the tracheostomy tube to a depth that does not cause the patient to cough. Shutting off the valve, it is necessary to produce suction at intervals of a few seconds, and after the end of the procedure, remove the catheter, disconnect it and dispose of it.
An aspiration catheter is a very simple product, in fact it is a long tube made of transparent polyvinyl chloride. Catheters are made with vacuum control (there is a special valve) and without it.
Peculiarities
- The material is medical polyvinyl chloride, soft enough, but resistant to bending the tube. The introduction of the catheter does not cause any particular difficulties for the medical staff.
- The surface is smooth, which contributes to easy and painless introduction into the respiratory tract.
- The distal end is atraumatic and rounded with a hole at the tip or on the sides. This serves to protect the bronchial mucosa from possible injury during aspiration, the side holes also protect the catheter from blockage.
- The proximal tip of the catheter has a connector for a vacuum aspirator.
- The aspiration catheter is packed in a sealed bag that preserves the sterility and performance of the product.
Sizing
Catheters are available in different lengths and diameters for use in adult and pediatric patients, including neonates. For the correct selection of the catheter, you need to know a simple rule: its diameter should always be less than half the diameter of the tracheostomy or endotracheal tube. There are catheters for suction of viscous sputum or liquid secretion, mucus. The catheter is rarely reused: it is, by definition, a disposable product.