Suction cannula design for safe microneurosurgery

• Published in: Clinical neurology and neurosurgery 2023-03, Vol.226, p.107633-107633, Article 107633
• Main Authors: Jha, Deepak K., Jha, Ashutosh, Sharma, Prem Prakash, Agrawal, Mohit, Janu, Vikas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air leakage; Cannula; Equipment Design; Humans; Male; Microneurosurgery; Microsurgery; Neurosurgery; Pressure; Statistical analysis; Suction; Suction cannula; Suction pressure; Surgeons; Tear-drop suction cannula; Thumb hole; Variables
• ISSN: 0303-8467; 1872-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107633

Suction cannula (SC) is an important instrument for a neurosurgeon. Currently used suction control valves, kept in the sterile field, are controlled by the surgeon, for which he needs to leave the surgical dissection or by assistant or by operation room personnel to adjust the pressure of the equipment (suction machine or central suction), which lies in the unsterile field. Authors studied relationships of the different diameters of SC and the thumb hole (TH) of the SC and present their findings. Seven SC with various diameters of their lumen and TH were used for the study. Suction pressures were measured with suction tip open, immersed in saline and TH open and closed. TH of 2 SC were made smaller using adhesive tape over the TH and making smaller hole over the tape and two additional measurements were taken using changed SC with modified TH. SPSS Statistics 23.0 (IBM India Pvt Ltd, Bangaluru, India) was used for statistical analysis of the pressure recordings and SC features. Pressure and diameter of ST or TH were related in opposite direction. As the diameter increases the pressure decreases. A strong negative association was observed between the diameter of TH and the pressure. TH diameter of SC is important to control suction pressure with any size of SC. One should use tear-drop type TH or appropriate diameter of the circular type of TH to contemplate safe microneurosurgery. •Suction cannula in neurosurgery is an important instrument for a neurosurgeon.•Safe limit of neurosurgery suction is 15 kPa. Above 30 kPa suction tip may damage the neurovascular structures.•Authors studied relationship between diameters of the suction cannula and thumb hole.•Size of the thumb hole of the suction cannula was found to be most relevant in controlling the suction pressure.•Tear-drop type of thumb hole and 5 mm size of circular type of thumb hole were found safe for neurosurgery.