Swivel connector
USE
- allow ventilation without gas leak during invasive bronchial procedures (e.g. fibreoptic bronchoscopy, suctioning with a catheter)
- provide improved flexibility, stability and comfort to the ventilation circuit
DESCRIPTION
- Range of brands (e.g. Bodai, VBM)
- disposable plastic
- right angled design
- ‘Double swivel’ capacity at attachments to circuit component (22 mm outer diameter over a 15 mm universal connector of an endotracheal /tracheostomy tube and into an airway connector via a 15 mm outer diameter connector attached to ventilator tubing)
- airway access port (self sealing or with removable/replaceable cap)
METHOD OF INSERTION/ USE
- pause the ventilator (to reduce respiratory droplets being blown into the air)
- insert the device into the ventilator circuit
- resume ventilation
- perform procedure via the access port
COMPLICATIONS
- Loss of PEEP when the circuit is broken
- some models have a cap that needs manually removing and replacing with the risks of aerosolisation of respiratory secretions (infection risk to others)
- extra resistance and dead space in the circuit
OTHER INFORMATION
- Standard ‘right angled’ connectors do not have an access port but have the same connections, providing flexibility of the ventilator circuit attachments to the endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes.
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at The Alfred ICU, where he is Deputy Director (Education). He is a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, the Lead for the Clinician Educator Incubator programme, and a CICM First Part Examiner.
He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives. He was one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) has been recognised for his contributions to education with awards from ANZICS, ANZAHPE, and ACEM.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Bluesky, he is @precordialthump.bsky.social and on the site that Elon has screwed up, he is @precordialthump.
| INTENSIVE | RAGE | Resuscitology | SMACC