Cost-Effectiveness and Safety of Reusable Tracheal Suction Tubes
Penjan Nanta MNS*, Wilawan Senarat MSc**, Chanwit Tribuddharat MD***, Somwang Danchaivijitr MD****
Affiliation : *Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, **Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ***Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, ****Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
Objectives : To evaluate whether the repetitive use of disposable tracheal suction tubes is cost-effective and
safe over the single use.
Materials and Methods : The cost intrinsic to the washing, cleaning, re-sterilization by ethylene oxide gas, and
processing was determined and compared to the cost generated by disposable tubes. The reused disposable
suction tubes were also determined for their properties in physical characters and probable contamination
and damages.
Results : The evaluation showed that cost from single-use disposable suction tubes (8.66 baht) was cheaper
than expenses generated from processing steps for recycling of disposable tubes (9.92 baht). The use of a
disposable tube only once should minimize the risks posed by the use of the potentially unsafe reused dispos-
able tubes both to the patients and health care workers.
Conclusion : Recycling of tracheal suction tubes was neither cost-effective nor safe.
Keywords : Cost-effectiveness, Safety, Reusable, Tracheal suction tubes
