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Endotracheal suctioning of the neonate: Comparison of two methods as a source of mucus material for research
Author(s) -
Darlow Brian A.,
Sluis Karl B.,
Inder Terrie E.,
Winterbourn Christine C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0496(199703)23:3<217::aid-ppul8>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - medicine , saline , mucus , albumin , airway , elastase , suction , anesthesia , enzyme , biochemistry , biology , mechanical engineering , ecology , engineering
Endotracheal suctioning in the neonatal intensive care setting is a routine procedure performed to maintain patency of the airway in ventilated infants. Harvested material can also be a source of mucus for research into neonatal respiratory disorders. We aimed to investigate whether the composition of material obtained by our clinically preferred technique of dry shallow suctioning differed significantly from that obtained with saline lavage and deep suctioning. Eleven pairs of dry and saline lavage aspiration samples were compared for neutrophil enzyme myeloperoxidase, total and active α 1 ‐antitrypsin, α 1 ‐antitrypsin complexed with elastase, and secretory leukoprotease inhibitor. Even though individual values of each analyte, expressed per gram of albumin, varied over at least a fivefold range, there was no difference between mean values of dry and lavage samples for any of the constituents. We conclude that the yield of material for research obtained by dry shallow suctioning is adequate and the quality at least as satisfactory as that provided by saline lavage . Pediatr. Pulmonol. 1997; 23:217–221 © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.