LARGE-DIAMETER SUCTION TUBING SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES EVACUATION TIME OF SIMULATED VOMITUS

Current suction equipment is often inadequate at clearing the orophary nx. This study tested the hypothesis that evacuation times of simulate d vomitus could be significantly improved by increasing suction tube a nd connection port diameters, Two standard suction systems and a new l arge-diameter suction system were tested. Mean evacuation times for 90 mt tan average mouthful) of three different vomitus simulating substa nces-water, activated charcoal, and Progresso(R) vegetable soup-were c ompared. All parameters other than suction tubing and attachment port diameters remained constant. The data were analyzed with analysis of V ariance and Fisher's protected least significant difference post hoc t est, Use of large diameter suction tubing significantly (P < .0001) im proved evacuation time for each of the three substances, This improvem ent was most evident in the trials with activated charcoal and the veg etable soup, where there was a tenfold decrease in mean evacuation tim e. These results show that large-diameter 3/4-inch suction tubing conn ected to the 1-inch port is superior to the standard 1/4-inch tubing a nd connection ports currently used. The tenfold reduction in evacuatio n time of viscous and particulate materials may have important clinica l implications in preventing or minimizing complications from aspirati on. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.