Removal of tracheal secretions in anesthetized dogs: balloon catheters versus suction.

Artificial secretions were removed by suction (using 12- or 18-French suction catheters) or by means of a balloon-tipped catheter (6-French Fogarty arterial embolectomy catheter) in 20 experiments performed on five dogs anesthetized with halothane. Each dog had 5 ml of mucin injected 10 cm down the endotracheal tube prior to a 30-sec period of intermittent positive pressure ventilation. After this procedure, the ventilator was disconnected and the secretions were removed by suction with the 12- or 18-French catheters or by the Fogarty catheter. Each dog had balloon removal performed twice and suction performed once with the 12-French and once with the 18-French catheter. The endotracheal tube was cleaned and a 15-min stabilization period was allowed between each experiment. Arterial blood pressure (MAP) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) did not change after either technique. There were no ECG changes, arrhythmias, or alterations in PaCO2. The PaO2 was significantly lower in the two suction catheter groups [520 +/- 33 mm Hg (12 French) and 451 +/- 31 mm Hg (18 French)] than in the balloon removal group (564 +/- 10 mm Hg) (P less than 0.05). The balloon technique removed more secretions (4.52 +/- 0.06 ml) than did suction (12 French, 1.32 +/- 0.17 ml; 18 French, 2.11 +/- 0.44 ml). Balloon removal of tracheal secretions has two advantages over conventional suction techniques: it removes more secretions, and it has less detrimental effect on arterial oxygenation.