• Mary Lou Sole, Daleen Aragon Penoyer, Jill Bertrand, and Steven Talbert.
• College of Nursing, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA. msole@mail.ucf.edu
• Am. J. Crit. Care. 2011 Nov 1;20(6):e141-5.

BackgroundAspiration of secretions that accumulate above the cuff of the endotracheal tube is a risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia. Routine suctioning of oropharyngeal secretions may reduce this risk; the recommended frequency for suctioning is unknown.ObjectivesTo quantify the volume of secretions suctioned from the oropharynx of critically ill patients at 2 different intervals to assist in identifying a recommended frequency for oropharyngeal suctioning.MethodsA prospective, repeated measure, single-group design was used. Twenty-eight patients who were orally intubated and treated with mechanical ventilation were enrolled; 2 were extubated during data collection, yielding a sample of 26 patients. The patients were suctioned at baseline with a deep suction catheter, and the volume and weight of secretions were recorded. The procedure was repeated at 2-hour and 4-hour intervals.ResultsMost of the patients were male (mean age, 49 years). Three suctioning passes were needed to clear secretions, with a mean time of 48.1 seconds. The mean volume of secretions at the 2-hour interval was 7.5 mL. Five patients required suctioning before the 4-hour interval. For the remaining 21 patients, the volume retrieved was 6.5 mL at the 2-hour interval and 7.5 mL at the 4-hour interval (P = .27). The 5 patients who required extra suctioning had significantly more secretions at the 2-hour interval (11.6 mL vs 6.5 mL; P = .05).ConclusionsA minimum frequency of oropharyngeal suctioning every 4 hours is recommended. However, more frequent suctioning may be needed in a subset of patients.

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