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Published on: February 23, 2014

Effect of reusing suction catheters on the occurrence of pneumonia in children

M K Scoble1, B Copnell, A Taylor

  • 1Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical Care
|May 9, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Disposable suction catheters can be safely reused for 24 hours in pediatric patients without increasing pneumonia risk. This practice is also cost-effective, offering significant savings in intensive care settings.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine
  • Infection Control
  • Healthcare Economics

Background:

  • Suction catheter use is common in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
  • Concerns exist regarding the safety and cost-effectiveness of single-use versus reusable suction catheters.
  • Optimizing resource utilization while maintaining patient safety is crucial in PICUs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety of reusing disposable suction catheters in pediatric patients for a 24-hour period.
  • To determine if reuse impacts the incidence of pneumonia in this population.
  • To assess the cost-effectiveness of suction catheter reuse.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a tertiary pediatric center's PICU.
  • 486 children with endotracheal tubes were included.
  • The study group (n=241) reused catheters for 24 hours; the control group (n=245) used new catheters per suctioning episode.

Main Results:

  • Pneumonia incidence was similar between groups: 4.98% in the reuse group vs. 5.71% in the new catheter group.
  • The difference in pneumonia rates was not statistically significant (0.7% difference, 95% CI: -3.3% to 4.7%).
  • Cost analysis revealed savings of approximately Aust $4.14 per patient per day with catheter reuse.

Conclusions:

  • Reusing disposable suction catheters for up to 24 hours in pediatric patients is safe.
  • This practice does not increase the risk of pneumonia.
  • Suction catheter reuse presents a cost-effective strategy for PICUs.
Abstract

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