Performing open and closed suctioning maneuvers with Hamilton Medical ventilators

The Suctioning maneuver is foreseen for open suctioning maneuvers.

Use of closed suctioning systems requires a different approach as the focus is to maintain ventilation and stable PEEP application throughout the suctioning process.

How to perform an open suctioning maneuver:

1. Press the O2 enrichment key for pre-oxygenation.
2. Disconnect the patient during the pre-oxygenation phase (lasts for two minutes).
3. Disconnecting the patient stops ventilation so that no contaminated content gets blown to the surrounding air. All alarms are suppressed for one minute.
4. Use a suctioning catheter (not included) to withdraw all secretions out of the patient’s airway following internal clinical hygienic guidelines.
5. Reconnect the patient to the ventilator. Ventilation resumes, post-oxygenation (for up to two minutes) is initiated and all acoustic alarms are again suppressed for one minute. Alarm message and alarm lamp are still active.
6. To stop the maneuver manually, press the O2 enrichment key again*.

* In the case of large airway leaks, the ventilator’s ability to detect a reconnection may be compromised. If ventilation does not resume immediately, the user can stop the maneuver manually.

How to perform a closed suctioning maneuver:

1. Press the O2 enrichment key for pre-oxygenation. Wait two minutes to complete the pre-oxygenation phase, or press the O2 enrichment button again to stop the pre-oxygenation phase before withdrawing secretions.
2. Press the audio pause key to mute the audible ventilator alarms for two minutes.
3. Use the pre-installed closed-suctioning catheter (not included) to withdraw secretions.

Note that the suctioning tool is disabled during high flow oxygen therapy.

The Suctioning maneuver can be deactivated by a special license key. Refer to your device’s software upgrade installation guide for this information.

Disable the Suctioning maneuver function if closed suctioning systems are in use to prevent false-positively triggered suctioning maneuver procedures, as this could compromise the benefits of closed suctioning.

When the Suctioning maneuver function has been deactivated, the O2 enrichment key can still be used for pre- and post-oxygenation. In this case, a drop in applied pressures and tidal volumes will not trigger the Suctioning maneuver function.

Relevant devices: HAMILTON-C1/C2/C3/C6/MR1/T1

Relevant software: 
HAMILTON-C6 SW v1.1.3 or lower
HAMILTON-C3 SW v2.0.5 or lower
HAMILTON-C2 SW v2.2.5 or lower
HAMILTON-C1/T1/MR1 SW v2.2.3 or lower