Investigating the Role of Subglottic Secretions Suctioning in the Prevention of ？Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in Patients With Invasive Mechanical ？Ventilation | Salman | Global Journal of Health Science | CCSE

BACKGROUND: development of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) leads to ？prolonged hospital stay, increased health care cost, and mortality rates. Subglottic ？secretion drainage through a dedicated endotracheal tube has been advocated as a mean ？to decrease the incidence of VAP and thereby assisting in ？the decrease of morbidity associated with invasive mechanical ventilation.？ OBJECTIVE: Investigate the role of subglottic secretion suctioning in the prevention of VAP in mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care unit.？ METHODS: A cross sectional study done in the intensive care unit of Ghazi Al-Hariri ？hospital for surgical specialties in medical city complex, 30 patients who ？are in need for invasive mechanical ventilation were intubated with endotracheal tube ？that have special port for subglottic secretion suctioning. Daily monitoring of patients ？clinical and radiological data to detect features of VAP was ？done, and if there was a suspicion of pneumonia, culture for tracheal aspirate performed ？to confirm diagnosis.？ RESULTS: ？Patient’s age was 37.1 ± ？？15.39 years, the highest proportion of study patients was found in ？age group < 30 and ？？30–49 years (40% in ？each group), most of the patients were males (70%) with a male to female ratio of ？？2.33:1？？, ？Subglottic secretion suctioning lead to reduction in VAP by relative risk (95%CI) of ？？0.167 (0.045–0.559)？？, p-？value = 0.001. ？Twenty eight patients didn’t show any sign, symptoms ？or radiological features suggesting a ？diagnosis of pneumonia while two patients developed ？features of pneumonia (suggestive signs and ？symptoms, radiological features and ？positive culture of tracheal aspirate).？ CONCLUSION: the use of endotracheal tube with subglottic ？secretions suctioning can have a role in the prevention of VAP in mechanically ventilated patients.