Composition and function of suction catheter
2026-03-27
A suction catheter is a medical consumable specifically designed to clear respiratory secretions. Its core function is to establish a negative pressure channel to suction out sputum, blood, or foreign objects from the airway in order to keep the airway open.
I. Basic Components
Suction catheters are typically made of medical-grade PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or silicone and consist of the following key structural components:
• Tube Body: A long, thin, transparent or semi-transparent flexible tube, usually with graduations (to indicate insertion depth) and a side hole at the front. The side hole is a key design feature, allowing continued drainage even when the tube is against the wall of the main intubation, preventing direct suction to the mucous membrane and potential damage.
• Head End: Slanted or smoothly closed, with a relatively rigid texture for easy insertion into the endotracheal tube or nasal cavity, while maintaining overall flexibility to prevent kinking.
• Connector: The tail end connects to a negative pressure control valve (usually a finger-press type), allowing the operator to precisely control the suction level by pressing down; releasing the valve disconnects the negative pressure.
• Accessories: Some models are equipped with sterile gloves or a protective membrane to maintain sterile operation.
II. Core Functions
1. Therapeutic Drainage: For patients unable to cough up sputum independently (e.g., comatose, post-operative, tracheotomized, or ventilator users), retained secretions are suctioned out via oral, nasal, or artificial airway insertion using negative pressure (typically controlled at 40.0–53.3 kPa, or 300–400 mmHg for adults) to prevent atelectasis and asphyxia.
2. Specimen Collection: Connected to a sterile sputum collector, deep sputum samples can be collected for etiological examination (e.g., bacterial culture, drug sensitivity testing) to aid in the diagnosis of pneumonia type.
3. Airway Maintenance: After nebulized inhalation or during airway humidification, it helps to expel sputum crusts loosened by humidification, maintaining the patency of artificial airways (e.g., endotracheal tubes, tracheostomy tubes).
III. Common Classifications
• By usage frequency: Divided into single-use type (disposable sterile packaging) and reusable type (requires strict sterilization, now rarely used).
• By structure: Ordinary suction catheters, closed suction catheters (connected to the ventilator circuit, can be operated without disconnecting the ventilator, suitable for patients requiring high-concentration oxygen or those with a high risk of aerosol dissemination).
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