A Randomized, Clinical Trial of Frozen Versus Standard Nasogastric Tube Placement

• DOI: 10.1007/s00268-009-0144-x
• Publication Date: 2009-07-21T20:32:19Z
• Authors: Duk‐Hee Chun; Na Young Kim; Yang‐Sik Shin; Soo Hwan Kim
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Silicones; 610; Freezing*; Anesthesia, General; Mucosal Bleeding; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Gastrointestinal/methods*; Freezing; 80 and over; Humans; Anesthesia; Prospective Studies; General; Intubation, Gastrointestinal; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Chi-Square Distribution; Gastrointestinal/instrumentation; Oral Cavity; Equipment Design; Middle Aged; Pyriform Sinus; Treatment Outcome; Anterior Displacement; Female; Intubation; Intubate Patient

AbstractBackgroundInsertion of a nasogastric tube (NGT) in an anesthetized, paralyzed, and intubated patient is difficult, and many methods have been proposed to aid in the procedure. We present a simple insertion technique.MethodsA silicone NGT was made rigid by filling it with distilled water and freezing it. Patients were randomized into either the control or the frozen group, and an NGT was inserted after intubation.ResultsA total of 100 patients (50 in each group) were included in this study. The success rate increased significantly by making the tube more rigid (control:frozen = 58%:88%; p = 0.001). There was no difference between groups in the incidence of nasal bleeding.ConclusionsA simple method of freezing an NGT with distilled water increased the success rate of insertion for intubated patients.