Critical  Care  Watch  Out  Notice

Watch  Out  for...Wrong  length  in-­‐line  

suction  cathetersWhat  Happened?

The  Facts:

Protect  Your  Patients:

Watch  Out  Notice:  13 Date:    15  December  2016 Produced  By:  Critical  Care  Governance  Group   Authors:  S  Calvert,  N  Tarmey

• We  stock  in-­‐line  suction  catheters  in  two  different  lengths:-­‐ 365mm  in-­‐line  catheters  are  for  tracheostomies (numbered  to  20cm  on  tubing)

-­‐ 580mm  in-­‐line  catheters  are  for  endotracheal  tubes  (numbered  to  40cm  on  tubing)

• Using  the  wrong  length  of  catheter  can  cause  ineffective  suction  (if  too  short)  or  injury  to  airways  (if  too  long).

• Check  your  patient  has  the  correct  suction  catheter:-­‐ whenever  you  set  up  or  check  the  breathing  circuit.-­‐ whenever  you  have  difficulty  clearing  secretions.

Academic  Department  of  Critical  Care  |  Queen  Alexandra  Hospital  Portsmouth

A  patient  who  was  intubated  orally  had  a  tracheostomy-­‐

length  (365mm)  inline  suction  catheter  fitted.

Sputum  clearance  was  ineffective,  because  the  

catheter  did  not  reach  the  end  of  the  tube  or  stimulate  the  

cough  reflex.

The  catheter  was  replaced  with  the  correct  length  

(580mm)  ETT  catheter  and  sputum  clearance  improved.