Help re suction machine

[alador]

Can anyone tell me how often the attachments (tubing, yankauer (sp) and filter should be changed? Our home health providing the machine tells me they have no other patients in this area using suction machines and they have not provided much help.
My husband will be having necessary knee surgery May 25th and we have been told it is a long procedure. He has lost his speech and has a PEG tube. Will be in hospital several days. Either I or another family member will be with him. Please remember him in prayer and that I will have the strength to care for him.

 

[vzandt]

I dont know anything about the suction machine, but youll both have my prayers. You'd think if the home health people had ONE patient
that needed it they would learn about it wouldnt you? Just my thought.

 

[LizT]

About the suction machines- what we did was anytime we would use the machine, we would suck some clean, preferably hot water through the yank and the tubes. Eventually they will start to discolor and get "icky" looking. We usually changed ours once a month or so. If you clean it more often thought, it may last longer. If youre noticing a funky smell that you cannot get rid of, Id change it.
Some folks just use hot soapy water to clean it, some use a vinegar/water solution, and some use bleach. Just make sure it gets rinsed very well and dried after a good cleaning. Hope this helps.
Prayer for your hubby for his upcoming surgery. For you too! Good luck

 

[alador]

Liz, thanks for the info.

 

[marypat]

The general rule of thumb for replacing suction tubing is that every week but I don't know what insurers cover. So if you skip it clean, like Liz suggested it should last longer. Keep in mind that one of the most common ways hospital patients get pneumonia is dirty yaunkers, or suction cathiters. Always rinse them with hot water after use and be careful where they lay. Often patients who suction themselves put the yaunkers under the pillow or elsewhere it stays wet and grows bacteria.

 

[cervus]

Bob didn't use it that much but when we did, we just rinsed it out with warm water and a little soap. Thinking of you and your husband and family and sending you warmth thoughts and lots of strength now and over the upcoming days. Take care. Yasmin.

 

[DeansWife]

Dean has a suction machine that he uses several times a day as needed. The tank holds about a pint or a little over. We put about a cup or so in after cleaning it and he keeps a cup with clear water by it. After he uses it before turning it off he sucks some of the clean water through the tube. This really seems to help keep the tube clean. This is how the medical supply person that brought it to us showed us. He or I clean it daily along with the tubing in warm soapy water then rinse very well. He's on his second tube and he's had it a month. Hope this helps.

 

[panguinjen]

Rog cleans his daily and lets it sit in vinegar and water weekly. I like Dean's Wife's way better... We weren't shown that.

Jen

 

[alador]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It is so good to know you can come here and get your answers. Trying to stay strong for the upcoming surgery and think only good thoughts.
When we saw Dr. Bedlack in Dec. I asked him if this disease would eventually affect his limbs since all so far has been the bulbar problems. He said that if he lived long enough it would.
Ironically, because of his knee problems he has to be in a wheelchair so we are hoping after this surgery he can be mobile for now.

 

[momap53]

We'll keep you both in our thoughts and prayers. Please take care of yourself.

 

[edgar4836]

This thread is very Useful.

 

[HelenL]

alador, good luck on his upcoming surgery, keeping you and hubby in my prayers.

Don't you love the answers you get from the docs?