Cost-effectiveness and safety of reusable tracheal suction tubes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether the repetitive use of disposable tracheal suction tubes is cost-effective and safe over the single use.


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 disposable tubes both to the patients and health care workers.


CONCLUSIONS
Recycling of tracheal suction tubes was neither cost-effective nor safe.
Nanta
Penjan
P
Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai.
Senarat
Wilawan
W
Tribuddharat
Chanwit
C
Danchaivijitr
Somwang
S
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004209:Disposable Equipment / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004868:Equipment Failure; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000191:economics*; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D013396:Suction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013785:Thailand