In medicine, devices are sometimes necessary to create

suction Suction is the colloquial term to describe the air pressure differential between areas. Removing air from a space results in a pressure differential. Suction pressure is therefore limited by external air pressure. Even a perfect vacuum cannot ...

. Suction may be used to clear the

airway The respiratory tract is the subdivision of the respiratory system involved with the process of respiration in mammals. The respiratory tract is lined with respiratory epithelium as respiratory mucosa. Air is breathed in through the nose to th ...

of blood, saliva, vomit, or other

secretion 440px Secretion is the movement of material from one point to another, such as a secreted chemical substance from a cell or gland. In contrast, excretion is the removal of certain substances or waste products from a cell or organism. The classical ...

s so that a patient may breathe. Suctioning can prevent

pulmonary aspiration Pulmonary aspiration is the entry of material such as pharyngeal secretions, food or drink, or stomach contents from the oropharynx or gastrointestinal tract, into the larynx (voice box) and lower respiratory tract, the portions of the respira ...

, which can lead to lung infections. In

pulmonary hygiene Pulmonary hygiene, formerly referred to as pulmonary toilet, is a set of methods used to clear mucus and secretions from the airways. The word ''pulmonary'' refers to the lungs. The word ''toilet'', related to the French ''toilette'', refers to ...

, suction is used to remove fluids from the airways, to facilitate

breathing Breathing (or ventilation) is the process of moving air into and from the lungs to facilitate gas exchange with the internal environment, mostly to flush out carbon dioxide and bring in oxygen. All aerobic creatures need oxygen for cellular ...

and prevent growth of microorganisms. Small suction-providing devices are often called aspirators. In

surgery Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

suction can be used to remove blood from the area being operated on to allow surgeons to view and work on the area. Suction may also be used to remove blood that has built up within the skull after an

intracranial hemorrhage Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), also known as intracranial bleed, is bleeding within the skull. Subtypes are intracerebral bleeds ( intraventricular bleeds and intraparenchymal bleeds), subarachnoid bleeds, epidural bleeds, and subdural bleeds. ...

. Suction devices may be mechanical hand pumps or battery or electrically operated mechanisms. In many

hospitals A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...

and other

health facilities A health facility is, in general, any location where healthcare is provided. Health facilities range from small clinics and doctor's offices to urgent care centers and large hospitals with elaborate emergency rooms and trauma centers. The nu ...

, suction is typically provided by suction regulators, connected to a central medical vacuum supply by way of a pipeline system. The plastic, rigid Yankauer suction tip is one type of tip that may be attached to a suction device. Another is the plastic, nonrigid French or whistle tip catheter.Pollak, Andrew N. (ed.) (2011). "Chapter 9: Airway Management". Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. p. 343.

References

{{Surgical instruments Surgical instruments

See also

References