Effect of Normal Saline Instillation during Endotracheal Suction in Mechanically Ventilated patients

Abstract

Endotracheal suction is one of the most common procedures carried out in an intensive care unit. Instillation of normal saline before suctioning is a common nursing intervention although little research supports this practice.. The aim of this study is describing the effect of normal saline instillation before suctioning on oxygen saturation, PaO2, and PaCO2 values after suctioning in critically ill patient on mechanical ventilation, describing the rates of trauma, occlusion of endotracheal tube, and infection, and compare the level of dyspnea with and without the use of saline instillation prior to endotracheal suctioning of mechanically ventilated adults. A quasi experimental research designed has been utilized in this study that was conducted at Respiratory Intensive Care Unit, Ain Shams University Hospital. Study and control group were included in this study conveniently, forty patients for each, with their mean age of (51.4 ± 14.6) and (53.1 ± 19.5) respectively. The study group experienced endotracheal suction without instillation of normal saline while the control did. The results revealed a statistical significant difference between the two groups regarding O2 sat., PaO2, PaCO2, and dyspnea score. This conclude that the instillation of isotonic sodium chloride solution during endotracheal suctioning was not be beneficial and, indeed, may have detrimental effects on the patient’s, PaO2, PaCO2, level of dyspnea, and increase potential for infection caused by dislodging bacteria into the lower airways. Based on these results, it is recommended that Instillation of normal saline before suctioning should be used carefully as a routine intervention in patients on mechanical ventilation.