Aspiration has two medical meanings: pulmonary aspiration, where foreign objects are sucked into the lungs, and medical aspiration, where matter is removed. Pulmonary aspiration can cause aspiration pneumonia and is a risk during surgery and unconsciousness. Aspiration as a medical procedure can be done in many ways, and anesthesia may be needed.
The term “aspiration” is used in two different medical meanings. In the first sense, it refers to pulmonary aspiration, in which people suck foreign bodies into the windpipe and lungs, or have foreign bodies insufflated, such as from a ventilator. In the second sense, aspiration is a type of medical procedure in which matter is aspirated or removed in order to be removed. The intended meaning is usually clear from the context.
Pulmonary aspiration can be very dangerous. A form of pulmonary aspiration can occur when people vomit and some of the vomit enters the lungs. People can also inhale food or drink or inhale foreign objects such as dust in the air. Inhaling foreign bodies cause irritation to the delicate tissues in the lungs and can lead to inflammation and a condition called aspiration pneumonia. Treatment for patients who have aspirated something depends on what it is and other factors.
Aspiration risk is the key issue behind why people are advised to abstain from eating before general surgery. The concern is that the patient may vomit during or shortly after surgery, and she or he may be at risk of aspirating some of the vomit. Aspiration is also a concern when people become unconscious from a drug overdose, injury, or alcohol use, which is why people shouldn’t be left alone in these situations.
Aspiration as a medical procedure can be done in many ways. In an aspiration biopsy, for example, a needle is used to access a fluid for sampling and the fluid is drawn into the needle by pulling the plunger. This technique can be used to take a clean urine sample from the bladder, to take a bone marrow sample, or to retrieve fluid from an abscess. Suction can also be used to clear mucus from the nose and mouth, to remove blood from a surgical site, or to clear fluid buildup in the body.
For some suction procedures, the patient may be given anesthesia because it can be painful. In other cases, no anesthetic is needed. For example, a doctor using a bulb syringe to clear mucus from a child’s nose does not need to provide analgesia because the procedure should not be painful, whereas a doctor performing a bone marrow biopsy needs to use the anesthetic so that the insertion of the needle is not excruciating to the patient.
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