Endotracheal suctioning of the newborn piglet

Suctioning of the endotracheal tube (ET) is a necessary procedure to remove secretions and debris that naturally accumulate over time. Endotracheal suctioning protocols often call for the injection of small (< or = 0.5 ml) amounts of normal saline down the ET tube just prior to commencing the suctioning procedure. Comparisons of room temperature and body temperature normal saline injectate protocols and their impact on arterial blood gas parameters and heart rate alterations prior to, during, and following the endotracheal suctioning procedure were conducted. Eleven newborn Yorkshire piglets less than 24 hours of age were randomly exposed to both the room temperature (RT) and body temperature (BT) normal saline suctioning protocols. The analysis and interpretation of the results revealed that the RT normal saline injectate caused a greater decline in heart rate and greater alterations in arterial blood gas parameters than did the BT normal saline injectate.