Comparison of the Effectiveness of Marked Suction Tubes vs. Plain Suction Tubes in Pediatric Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Introduction: Endotracheal suction plays a crucial role in the management of mechanically ventilated patients. This study aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of suction tubes with markings in mechanically ventilated pediatric patients. Materials and Methods: A randomized assignment was carried out on a cohort of 52 pediatric patients who underwent mechanical ventilation in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, covering the period from January 2022 to December 2022. These patients were divided into two groups: an improved group (n = 26) utilizing marked suction tubes, and a regular group (n = 26) employing conventional suction tubes. The objective of our study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of marked suction tubes. Results: The effects of the improved group on the vital signs of children undergoing mechanical ventilation were small and statistically significant compared with the regular group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the improved group exhibited a reduced frequency of sputum suction, shorter mechanical ventilation duration, and fewer days of hospitalization in the PICU compared to the regular group during the ventilation period. Notably, the difference in the duration of PICU hospitalization was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence of adverse reactions in the improved group was notably lower, with statistically significant differences observed in airway mucous membrane damage and irritating cough when compared to the regular group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The utilization of marked suction tubes provides clinical nurses with clear guidance for performing suctioning with ease, efficiency and safety. Consequently, advocating for the widespread implementation of marked suction tubes in clinical practice is a commendable pursuit.

A Review of Location Methods of Nasogastric Tube in Critically Ill Patients

Nasogastric tube is widely used in intensive care units. The complications of misplacement are rare but very dangerous for critically ill patients. Accurate localization of the position of the tip of nasogastric tube can effectively decrease complications and ensure the safety of critically ill patients. There are various methods that can be used to verify the location of the nasogastric tube such as radiography, PH measurement, electromagnetic navigator and ultrasound. However, there is a lack of general consensus regarding a standard method. In this review, we found that the accuracy of nasogastric tube placement can be greatly improved by visual technology such as X-ray, sonography and electromagnetic navigator. However, visual technology has not been widely used to locate the tip of nasogastric tube in critically ill patients. Best practice guidelines based on the available knowledge and evidence of current methods are necessary to increase the accuracy placement of nasogastric tube. It is envisioned that development of visual technologies will determine a new standard of care for verification of placement of nasogastric tube.