Lifesaving Equipment: Aspirators and Aspirator Accessories
Some medical equipment has been around a long time in various forms, like aspirators. Today, the simple aspirator is a sophisticated piece of medical equipment with aspirator accessories enhancing ease of use, functionality and safety. The aspirator has a basic purpose which is to extract fluids, mucous and other materials from the body cavity of a patient or client.

Basics of an Aspirator

Aspirators are also called suction machines which describes its functionality. The large medical-use aspirators used by healthcare professionals are critical pieces of equipment and are powered by electricity or commercial batteries. The medical devices have four main parts:

Pump
Tubing
Collection canister
Power source

Aspirators are used in hospitals, clinics, physician offices, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and in homes where clients require aspiration due to a medical condition.

What to Consider when Purchasing an Aspirator

Though it consists of a set of basic parts, the variety of aspirators available today offer a number of options. The main options include a choice of:

Power source
Vacuum suction rating
Portability
Capacity of the collection bottle
Free-standing or mounted installation
Additional features like a diaphragm compressor

Though all aspirators use suction, they come in difference sizes and configurations. The best choice depends on the setting in which the equipment will be used. For example, a portable and compact aspirator is ideal for ambulances or EMT vehicles and visiting nurses offering home care. A larger, heavy-duty aspirator is a good choice for hospitals and nursing homes.

Patient Safety First

Keeping the equipment and tubing free from bacteria is crucial to patient safety. Many units have an anti-bacteria filter design to minimize contamination. They are also designed for ease of cleaning. There are various aspirator accessories that include:

Disposable canisters
Different canister sizes
Suction canister filter lids
Replacement tubing
Specialized suctioning instruments, like the Poole tip for spot or abdominal suctioning and the Yankauer suction tube

When selecting the right aspirator, consider how often it will be used, ease of cleaning and the typical patient requiring aspiration.