Selective bronchial suctioning in the adult using a curve-tipped catheter with a guide mark.

Our results of previous and successive studies indicate that torque control of curve-tipped catheters is easily accomplished by placing a guide mark on the catheter. Thus, a guide mark was made on a curve-tipped 14 FG Portex suction catheter using a felt pen. The efficacy of selective bronchial suctioning using this catheter was studied in 50 patients. Directed suctioning of the left and right bronchial passages was performed in each patient 3 times and once, respectively, with the head in the midline position. The success rate of left bronchial suctioning was 92% (138/150 attempts) and success in right bronchial suctioning 98% (49/50 attempts). The curve-tipped catheter with a guide mark significantly improved the success rate of left bronchial entry over the previous rate from 50% to 92%.