Suctioning is not a routine practice, the need to suction should be assessed on an individual basis.
Babylog 8000: consider to turn off VG prior to commencing suction.
Silence ventilator alarms, remove flow sensor and reconnect circuit to ETT.
Insert catheter through one way valve to pre-measured length and provide suction on removal. To avoid hypoxia, suctioning should not exceed 6 seconds.
Reinsert the flow sensor as soon as possible after each pass with suction catheter and remove again if a further pass is required during the same session of suctioning, especially if in VG mode or on the VN500.
This method of suctioning provides a hybrid between open and closed suction.
Give a manual inflation, which will give an inflation at your set PIP (Babylog 8000) / Pmax (VN500). Be careful to not hold manual inflation, as the ventilator will support the inflation for up to 5 sec!
Gently suction oropharynx using a separate larger catheter.
Record colour, type, amount of secretions, baby's tolerance of the procedure and ventilator setting required during suctioning on observation chart.
Note: Saline (NaCl 0.9%) instillation is only used if secretions are deemed to be thick and tenacious on individual assessment.