Studies show that 12% of patients who undergo moderate to high risk surgical procedures develop hospital-acquired infections. Mortality rates in infected patients have been shown to be 14.5%, compared to 1.8% in uninfected patients.

Of the more than 40 million surgeries performed in surgical setting in the United States each year, more than 90% are attended by anesthesia specialists. They are responsible for patients whose airway reflexes are temporarily impaired by anesthetics, and as such, are unable to protect their own airways, swallow secretions, and avoid aspiration.

The anesthesia specialist is called upon to keep the patient's airway clear of secretions using a suction tip attached to a hose with a vacuum attachment. Once the sterile suction tip has been used in the patient, it is contaminated and should not be allowed to touch any person, object, or surface if cross-contamination is to be avoided. Current practices have not addressed this issue, and it has yet to receive any oversight by regulatory agencies.