Carol Law | PubMed Health

PubMedDate not supplied

Recognition, prevention and management of sputum retention.

Tracheobronchial secretions are an important part of the respiratory system's defence. The excess secretions that are cleared from the airways by coughing or huffing (Pryor and Webber, 1998) are known as sputum, the production of which is always abnormal. The colour, consistency, smell and volume of sputum provides information to support both the diagnosis and management of the patient's clinical condition. Sputum retention occurs when patients are unable to clear secretions from their respiratory tract by themselves or with assistance.

Auscultation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using mucociliary clearance methods that do not require an artificial airway.

Suction is used to clear secretions from the airways of patients who have an endotracheal tube, tracheostomy, minitracheostomy in place or those with an oropharyngeal airway (Lewis, 2002; McConnell, 2000; White, 1997). However, patients who do not have an artificial airway may sometimes require nasotracheal or nasopharyngeal suction (via the nose) or oropharyngeal suction (via the mouth).

Humans↗