Buck Rogers Dept #4 - field suction unit

[tangent]

I haven't seen anything really small and portable listed as a medical field suction unit, though Dan's pic of his STOMP II listed one as hiding in one of the pockets... (sources Dan? - maybe a pic?). What did come to mind, was that you can find portable, 12V aquarium pumps. Not sure what kind of torr these will pull, but worth considering. Be sure to get one that has a tubing connector on the air input. Add tubing and stoppers that will fit a canteen, or whatever rigid, airtight container you have on hand. Has applications for sucking chest wounds and dental work. If trying to clear aspiration(right word? - chunks of vomit), you might need more than one in parrallel.

For charging, Edmund scientific carries (rather pricy) solar battery chargers that are little bigger than the batteries they are charging. Charge time is about a day. I've also seen scematics for making these for much less!

[Reasonable Rascal]

I have a portable vacuum pump, hand operated, pulls a pretty good load. Lightweight, portable, bought it for vac sealing things but in retrospect it's the same type used with an add-on small cannister and a large bore semi-rigid tubing.

RR

[tangent]

RESQDOC wrote:
7. Field suction sucks, or more to the point, often doesn’t suck. In small kits I use a large syringe, 60 cc, and a small catheter and larger bit of tubing. Toomy irrigation syringes and basting bulbs are OK too. There are at least three hand-held suction units on the market that use one form or another of a squeeze handle to generate suction and dump junk into containment bottles, the Ambu Rescue Pump, Res-Q-Vac, and Laerdal V-Vac. All are OK and start around $50.00. Or you can go down to the auto parts store and get a handheld vacuum pump used to pull air out of lines for $29 and stick a tube on it. This incidentally is the EXACT same pump we use as a vacuum extraction aid for delivering babies, except that the hospital pays $250 for it, go figure…I’ll have to get the brand name when I am in the hospital tomorrow – the problem with this is that if you use it directly it tends to clog up, so you need to cobble some kind of bottle as the intermediate suction chamber. I have been meaning to do this, somebody give it a shot. A Nalgene type screw top bottle would be perfect. Look at the Res-Q-Vac or Pump and you will see immediately what I mean.

[tangent]

RESQDOC - again, could we get some sources?

RR - interesting, could we get a bit more detail? I have one that is like a bicycle pump - is that the sort of thing you are refering to? Would think a peddle operated unit would be better, or pref one on batteries, as you don't tie up a person that way.

there are of cource the classic improv designes, dating to the 50's that use vaccume produced by draining a bottle of water....

[Reasonable Rascal]

I knew you were going to ask. Okay, I dug it out so here goes nothing.

Called theMityVac, by Neward Enterprises of Cucamonga, CA. Postage scale tells me it weighs 7-1/2 ounces and the gauge says it is pulling 27" of mercury. Yes, it says inches, not centimeters. Inside scale says approx. 70 cm. of mercury vacuum from plugging the tubing with my thumb and pumping it about 4 times. Simple squeeze lever action.

Down side right now is there is no collection cannister so *gunk* would clog the action. I think I can remedy that easily though, a la the Res-Q-Vac style action.

Pump assembly itself is plastic but the guage and fitting are metal/brass. Not a cheap setup per se as far as quality goes. I do recall seeing these advertised for automotive (?) applications.

RR

[tangent]

I *WANT!* one! - if nothing else, than for food storrage! - mine is finicky...

where can I get one and how much do they cost?

[RESQDOC]

The commercial suction units are available from any EMS supplier. Three that come to mind in no particular order are:

Moore Medical
MDS Matrix
Medicmaster

There are a gazillion others.

[tangent]

but ones that are REALLY small? - like would fit in the pocket of a STOMP II? - every vac unit I've seen (and granted, I havn't looked recently) dwarfs a fully extended ambu-bag, at best....

[Reasonable Rascal]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/38000-38099/38053.gif

Here's the pump, and in this form there is a reservoir jar also.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?function=Search

[Reasonable Rascal]

Also worthy of consideration for non-powered suction for emergency use is the V-Vac device. I've used them to good effect, carried one in our First Out bag so the heavier battery operated unit could remain in the rig unless specifically called for.

These things will such up Dinty Moore Beef Stew if you have a strong hand.

http://www.allmed.net/catalog/images/items/2162_l.JPG

Yes, replacement cartridges are available for about $20 each.

http://www.allmed.net/catalog/showitem.php/2162

[Craig]

I carry the V-vac unit. I have had no problems with it. Main problem is it can fill up very quickly with a good load of beer and chips coming up.

Craig

[Reasonable Rascal]

On 2002-02-22 03:32, Craig wrote:
I carry the V-vac unit. I have had no problems with it. Main problem is it can fill up very quickly with a good load of beer and chips coming up.

Craig


Amen to that. The spare cartridge doesn't take much room as it comes compressed, so might can fit one in the bag. Otherwise you have to pop the side vent and let the overflow just spill out. Rather messy that, but then so is beer and chips on the way back up. ;-)

RR

[Javahed]

You want pics - you got pics

http://server505.hypermart.net/gogetemgear/pictures/medical%20gear/Top.jpg

http://server505.hypermart.net/gogetemgear/pictures/medical%20gear/Together.jpg

http://server505.hypermart.net/gogetemgear/pictures/medical%20gear/Apart.jpg

Great device - super powerful, overflow valve on the back and filter on the inside. Just keep pumpin and it keeps suckin :grin:

Dan

[Javahed]

Oh yeah

Just attach an 8 or 9 et tune to use as a suction tube.

Dan

[tangent]

nice post! - thank you!

but was that thing REALLY hiding in your STOMP II pocket??? - it looks *WAY* too big!

btw: what kind of a digital camera do you use? - pics here were very nice. Pics of the STOMP II packing were fuzzy... same camera? (I'm in the market...)

[RESQDOC]

The maker of the hand suction unit we use on our OB vacuum set up is...Mityvac, exactly the same unit as is being sold for auto use. For $250 vs. $29. Stick an ET tube on it and a Nalgene type bottle, and you are done. And if you get the baby head suction cup you can pull the little ankle biters right out.