Foreign body blocking closed circuit suction catheter: An unusual cause of retained tracheal secretions in a mechanically ventilated patient

Closed circuit suction system (CCSS) has become a standard of care for the tracheal suctioning of mechanically ventilated patients. The advantages of CCSS over the open suction system include decreased environmental, personnel and patient contamination, preservation of lung volumes and oxygenation especially in the severely hypoxemic patients. On the other hand, CCSS has lower efficacy in removal of secretions and it may have certain other disadvantages due to the invisibility of its tip. We report an unusual case of an airway foreign body causing blockage of the CCSS leading to retained secretions and deterioration of patient. Timely changing over to open suction system helped in its detection and improvement of patient.