The Journal of hospital infection
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of the effect of closed versus open endotracheal suction systems on the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia.
The aim of this study was to compare the effect of closed versus open endotracheal suction systems on the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was performed in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a university hospital in patients who received mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h. Patients were randomized to receive endotracheal suction with either closed catheters (closed suction group; N-41) or single-use catheters (open suction group; N=37). ⋯ Thirteen patients in the open suction group and 16 patients in the closed suction group became colonized (P=0.14). The colonization rates by Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were more frequent in the closed suction group than in the open suction group (P<0.01 and P=0.04, respectively). In conclusion, closed endotracheal suction resulted in increased colonization rates of ventilator tubing with multi drug-resistant micro-organisms but did not increase the development of VAP and MICU outcome compared with open endotracheal suction.