Endotracheal suctioning is one of the common procedures performed on patients with an artificial airway. It helps to remove secretions to prevent obstruction. Suctioning is also important in intubated patients in order to prevent the accumulation of secretions, which would then lead to colonization of the respiratory tract by pathogenic bacteria leading to the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Endotracheal suctioning can immediately reduce the dynamic compliance and expired tidal volume in patients (G Briassoulis, 2009).
A study by Choi et al in 2005 indicated that manual hyperinflation followed by suctioning induces beneficial changes in respiratory mechanics in mechanically ventilated ...