The flexible catheter best known as whistle-tip is used for suctioning the nose, stoma, or inside an advanced airway device. Which catheter is this?

• A. French catheter
• B. Yankauer
• C. Rigid suction catheter
• D. Whistle-tip catheter

Answer: (A)

Understanding where suction is taking place guides which catheter design to use. The whistle-tip catheter is a flexible suction device whose bendable shaft and rounded tip let you safely advance it into the nose, through a stoma, or inside the lumen of an advanced airway device. This flexibility and tip design allow effective suctioning in narrow or tubular passages while minimizing mucosal trauma. That makes it the best fit for suctioning in those locations. In contrast, a Yankauer is rigid and mainly used for oropharyngeal suctioning; a rigid suction catheter lacks the maneuverability needed for nasal or airway passage suctioning; and a French designation simply indicates size, not a specific design or intended use.