nasotracheal suction (NTS)

Indications

removal of accumulated saliva, pulmonary secretions, blood, vomitus, & other foreign material from the trachea & nasopharyx area that cannot be removed by the patient's spontaneous cough or other less invasive procedures
maintenance of a patent airway thus ensuring adequate oxygenation & ventilation & avoiding endotracheal intubation for the removal of respiratory secretions

insertion of a suction catheter through the nasal passage & pharynx into the trachea without a tracheal tube or tracheostomy
clearance of secretions is accomplished by application of subatmospheric pressure applied to a sterile, flexible, multi-eyed catheter on withdrawal only
appropriate subatmospheric pressures are * Neonates: 60-80 mm Hg * Infants: 80-100 mm Hg * Children: 100-120 mm Hg * Adults: 100-150 mm Hg

negative pressures should not exceed 150 mm Hg as higher pressures may cause trauma, hypoxemia, & atelectasis