BACKGROUND Nasogastric tubes are an important component of care in patients with gastrointestinal obstructions. However, they are prone to malfunction despite conventional flushing techniques, with potentially severe consequences. There is no widely accepted, gold-standard way to ensure that a nasogastric tube succeeds in maintaining an empty stomach following flushing. METHODS We have develo...

Purpose of review: This article reviews the thoracic complications from malpositioned blindly inserted nasogastric feeding tubes in mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care and the methods to check the position and promote safe placement of the feeding tubes. Recent findings: Malpositioned feeding tubes are not included in risk management databases. The reported incidence is 1-3% and ...

INTRODUCTION Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) submitted to radiotherapy alone or combined chemoradiotherapy present a high prevalence of malnutrition at baseline. Prophylactic use of gastrostomy has been suggested for these patients for delivering enteral nutrition. On the other hand, other authors have failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of this measure over nasogastric tube feedin...

OBJECTIVES To determine the efficacy of nasogastric administration of omeprazole suspension in raising the gastric pH >4 in critically ill pediatric patients and to determine the most appropriate dosing regimen for this indication. DESIGN Open-label pharmacodynamic study. SETTING Twenty-six bed tertiary-care pediatric intensive care unit. PATIENTS Mechanically ventilated children aged 1-1...

BACKGROUND Many patients have a nasogastric feeding tube inserted during admission; however, misplacement is not uncommon. In this case report we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first documented fatality from pressure pneumothorax following nasogastric tube withdrawal. CASE PRESENTATION An 84-year-old Caucasian woman with dysphagia and at risk of aspiration underwent routine insert...

This article reports an evidence-based practice project using the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care for a common nursing procedure, nasogastric tube placement verification in children. Little research exists regarding the care of nasogastric tubes in children, and traditional verification methods prevail. Auscultation of air insufflation over the abdomen is still use...

BACKGROUND Dysphagia occurs in up to 50% of patients admitted to hospital with acute strokes with up to 27% remaining by seven days. Up to 8% continue to have swallowing problems six months after their stroke with 1.7% still requiring enteral feeding. Nasogastric tubes (NGT) are the most commonly used method for providing enteral nutrition in early stroke, however they are easily and frequently...

Nasogastric and nasoenteral tubes are necessary in medical practice, but they are unpleasant and hard to be tolerated during long periods. This paper describes a technique of fastening the nasogastric or nasoenteral catheter that is easy to be performed, diminishes the discomfort and avoids most of nasal complications related to its location. Benjoim solution moistens the tube and the skin of t...

BACKGROUND Nasogastric or nasojejunal decompression has been used routinely to prevent anastomotic leakage, hasten the return of bowel function and shorten hospital stay after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This meta-analysis evaluates the necessity for such routine decompression. METHODS Medline, Embase and The Cochrane Library were searched. Only prospective randomized controlled trials (R...