INTRODUCTION
Medical suction and fluid waste management have rapidly evolved over the last decades and have become integral to patient care. Their uses are manifold, for example clearing airways and draining fluids during surgery, or resuscitating critically ill patients. This is a summary, based on the JCI white paper “Medical Suction and Fluid Waste Management,” that provides a high-level overview of the risks associated with medical suction and fluid waste management systems and provides recommendations to both caregivers and purchasers.
Medical suction and fluid waste management
Medical suction systems rely on the concerted action of multiple components to achieve therapeutic function. They consist primarily of three components: the vacuum source (i.e. electronic pump or vacuum regulator), reusable jars or disposable liners (e.g. Medela DCS solutions), and the suction tubing that connects all the components. Tight monitoring of the safe use of the entire system, and especially the power of the vacuum, is crucial to ensure patient safety.
