The Improved Res-Q-Vac Manual Suction Device

By Jeff Robinson, NREMT-P

Most of us have probably been there. You're finally making headway against what seems an unending tide of semi-digested beer and burritos. Your patient's airway was in danger until you came along, hero. But wait, there's one little catch that fate, physics and the duty roster have yet to throw your way: You've reached the upper limit of your suction machine. The little bottle is full and starting to overflow. There's suctioning still to be done and you have a bit of a problem on your hands. Maybe literally.

All humor aside, this moment in the management of an airway can expose your crew to biohazards if you're not ready with the right equipment.  A recent change to the Res-Q- Vac by Repro-Med Systems can provide help at this crucial time.

When we originally reviewed the Res-Q-Vac (August 2002), it did an amazing job of moving an large amount of artificial vomitus. None of that has changed. It's still an outstanding piece of equipment. However, a new capability has been added that further enhances the Res-Q-Vac's abilities and adds further biohazard protection for the user.

Repro-Med has added a capacity called Full-Stop Protection, or FSP, to the Res-Q-Vac. Full-Stop Protection prevents leakage or overflow from the suction reservoir even when it's at absolute full capacity. Instead of overflowing the canister onto the operator, the FSP capacity simply stops the suction mechanism when the reservoir is full, allowing the operator to quickly change canisters and proceed with patient care. The FSP technology also includes a HEPA-grade filter to prevent airborne pathogens from escaping from the canister during suction. Pretty neat.

I tried the improved Res-Q-Vac on a batch of my home-brewed emesis, and the Full-Stop Protection worked as advertised. Once the reservoir reached capacity, the suction stopped working without exposing any pathogens to the outside air or to me. The change was immediate, and there was never a doubt as to what was wrong or what needed to happen. Even neater, the unit was fully functional again immediately after I changed the canister.

I like the Res-Q-Vac. It's simple, functional, and now seems even more adapted to meet the challenges of field EMS. That was my impression at first blush, and it's my impression now.