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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Image Acquisition using Portable Sonography for Emergency Airway Management

Image Acquisition using Portable Sonography for Emergency Airway Management

Published on: September 28, 2022

Portable suction unit failure in a rural EMS system.

Brian L Risavi¹, K J Sabotchick, Christopher J Heile

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Erie, PA,USA. risavib@upmc.edu

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine

|April 19, 2013

Summary

Portable suction units in emergency medical services (EMS) have a low failure rate, but battery issues are the most common cause. Regular maintenance and thorough inspections are crucial for ensuring these critical airway management devices are ready when needed.

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Area of Science:

Emergency Medicine
Medical Device Technology
Pre-hospital Care

Background:

Portable suction units are vital for airway management in pre-hospital settings.
Infrequent use and inadequate inspection can lead to device failure during critical incidents.
Ensuring the reliability of these devices is paramount for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the incidence of portable suction unit failures in a rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system.
To identify the specific reasons contributing to these failures.

Main Methods:

Conducted over 2,330 inspections of portable suction units across a two-year period.
Utilized a standardized protocol for inspection, including vacuum level checks and component assessment (tubing, canister, battery).
Inspections assessed functionality against a 300 mmHg suction threshold within four seconds and identified physical defects.

Main Results:

A total of 2.4% (233 out of 9,631) of inspected units failed.
Battery failure was the predominant cause, accounting for 54.1% (126) of all failures.
Other significant failure reasons included incorrect assembly, canister defects, and tubing issues.

Conclusions:

While overall failure rates appear low, any malfunction of portable suction units is concerning given their role in preventing airway compromise.
Inadequate maintenance, infrequent use, and insufficient inspection protocols contribute to device deficiencies.
Implementing improved battery management, adherence to charging recommendations, and comprehensive unit inspections are essential for EMS readiness.