Safety of gastric lavage using nasogastric ryle’s tube in pesticide poisoning

Objective: Gastric lavage is mandatory irrespective of nature in all patients with acute poisoning in India. Present study was undertaken with aim whether lavage done using naso-gastric Ryle’s tube and small aliquots of water or normal saline is safe. Patients and Methods: All the patients above 12 years of age admitted consecutively with pesticide ingestion or exposure between July 2004 to June 2005 were studied with respect to complications associated with lavage using Ryle’s tube. Forty five patients were admitted directly to our hospital and lavage was undertaken using Ryle’s tube (16F ) with 100 200 mL of aliquots till 1 1.5 liters of fluid was lavaged, with prophylactic endotracheal intubation in patients with Glasgow coma scale ( GCS) < 10 (group I). The incidence of complications related to lavage in group I was compared to that in 53 patients admitted during same period with pesticide poisoning but lavaged outside using nasogastric Ryle’s tube and referred to our institute (group II). Results: The significant complications observed in group I were significant drop in SaO2 (6 patients) laryngospasm, tachycardia, electrolyte imbalance and tube getting struck in throat (one each). In one patient in group I (had no prophylactic intubation though GCS 3) In group II, 7 had aspiration pneumonia (no prophylactic intubation). Other significant complication was drop in SaO2 during lavage. None of them had any serious life threatening complication. Conclusion: Gastric lavage carried out using naso-gastric Ryle’s tube and small aliquots of water or normal saline is relatively safe in patients with pesticide poisoning when combined with prophylactic endotracheal intubation in patients with GCS < 10. In absence of prophylactic intubation, risk of aspiration is there. However aspiration pneumonia is generally mild and not life threatening.