Requirement for 100% oxygen before and after closed suction

Aim. This paper reports an experimental study to determine whether giving 100% oxygen for 1 minute before and after closed suctioning is, required. Background. Some studies suggest that patients receiving closed suction do not require preoxygenation to minimize desaturation. Methods. The study was conducted in 2002, with 30 patients receiving mechanical ventilation who had various positive end-expiratory levels. Two suctioning methods were used for each patient: one involving administration of 100% oxygen for 1 minute before and after suctioning and the other without hyperoxygenation. Samples of arterial blood gases were taken before and after suctioning. Heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation and mean arterial pressure measures were documented before, immediately after, 30 and 60 seconds after suctioning. Results. Levels of partial oxygen pressure, arterial oxygen saturation and mean arterial pressure were significantly higher in patients who received 100% oxygen for I minute before and after suction, whereas partial carbon dioxide pressure and heart rate were similar in the two groups. Conclusions. In patients who did not receive 100% oxygen before and after closed suctioning, no significant falls in partial oxygen pressure and oxygen saturation were seen. A small number of patients were hypoxaemic before suctioning, and giving 100% oxygen might be deleterious for this category.