Suctioning the Trachy

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="1088e8e3.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="10995810.png" border=0 width="149" height="129" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Tracheostomy"><U>Click to return to About Tracheostomy page</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FF9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="10e00c82dwnjbj.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>TSNI</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3366FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>   |     <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TSNI"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tracheostomy Feeding"><U>Tracheostomy & Feeding</U></A>   |   Suctioning the Trachy   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Care of the Tracheostomy"><U>Care of the Tracheostomy</U></A></div> <div> Suctioning the Trachy</div> <bR> <div> This is probably the first skill you will learn after the first day or so. You will gradually learn to recognise when you need to suction and how much to do at each episode. The nurses will supervise you and help you when necessary. </div> <div> Why is it so important? We need our larynx (voice box) to be able to cough properly and get rid of lung secretions (mucus or phlegm) that can block the airway. The tracheostomy tube is sited below the larynx so this means that the child will not be able to cough out secretions so well. The tube is an irritant and may cause excess mucus to be produced in the lungs. Suction is required regularly to remove these excess secretions. At first the child will need suction often, but the frequency may reduce as the lungs become accustomed to the tracheostomy tube.</div> <div> The tracheostomy tube and the trachea must be kept clear of secretions for two main reasons:</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">If the secretions are allowed to accumulate, they will block the tube and the child will be unable to breathe.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Secretions left in the tube could become contaminated and the child could develop a chest infection.</div> <div>  <A NAME="whentouse"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>When to use suction</div> <div> It is recommended that you use suction when your child is coughing in order to remove the secretions and to prevent them sticking to the inside of the tube. You will soon learn to recognise when secretions are building up and when the tube is becoming coated on the inside from the sounds the air makes as it goes in and out of the tube.</div> <div> Suction is required if your child asks for it or shows any of the following signs:</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">noisy breathing (the sound of air bubbling through secretions)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">visible secretions at the tracheostomy tube opening</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">a cough with the sound of secretions in the tube</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">restlessness, crying (crying also increases the amount of secretions)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">increased respiratory rate, working hard to breathe.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>