... it maintains airway patency and preventspulmonary infection. However, tracheal suctioning inducesmucosal injury, exposing the basement membrane andthereby facilitating bacterial adhesion in ... respiratory infections, length of stay in the hospital and the ICU, and mortality in critically ill patients. Availabledata are distilled into recommendations for the maintenance ofairway hygiene in ... articles. The following search terms were used:airway hygiene, oral hygiene, mucociliary clearance, trachealsuctioning, bronchoscopy, mucolytics, chest physiotherapy,kinetic therapy, continuous...