Incorrect nasogastric tube placement is becoming a major problem in healthcare. This is evident due to about 1.9% of feeding tubes are misplaced (Sparks et al, 2011) and commonly leads to pneumothorax in one in five people and death in one in thirty-nine. (Taylor, 2014). These errors directly affect the patient causing him or her to accrue a larger bill and longer hospital stay. Neither of which is good. There are several factors that attribute to these errors such as old practices of measuring from the xiphisternum to the ear to the nose, leaving the tube barely within the stomach. Another factor that contributes to error is inappropriate verification of tube placement or the misinterpretation of radiographs by clinicians.
Nasogastric …show more content…
Post intubation, the anesthetist used a 16-(NG) tube with lubrication for insertion. The (NG) tube was advanced far enough to be in the stomach, approximately 50 cm. Direct visualization confirmation was given by a surgeon when the (NG) tube appeared in the stomach. The sonographer using 2-dimensional images, who was also an anesthesiologist then determined whether the (NG) tube was placed in the esophagus or not. Neither the surgeon or the anesthesiologist who used sonography were aware of each other’s evaluation (Muslu et al., …show more content…
One advantage of the neck ultrasonography was that it was quick and easier to use that the pH meter. However, ultrasonography will show if the (NG) tube passes through the esophagus but it does not show if the tip is still within the esophagus. The one (NG) tube of the 35 studied was noted to be in the esophagus and not the stomach. Because it passed through the esophagus but the tip remained in the esophagus and not the stomach, this was deemed a false positive. The articles states that the pH meter was 71% accurate in correct (NG) tube placement. Upon completion of this study, it was determined that neck ultrasonography has a high sensitivity than the pH meter as it relates to confirming the position of the (NG) tube. The pH meter had the disadvantage in that it does not provided sufficient information to determine if the (NG) tube is in the stomach or in the esophagus. Finally, the study concluded that neck ultrasonography is better than the pH meter to determine the location of the (NG) tube (Muslu et al.,
Nasogastric …show more content…
Post intubation, the anesthetist used a 16-(NG) tube with lubrication for insertion. The (NG) tube was advanced far enough to be in the stomach, approximately 50 cm. Direct visualization confirmation was given by a surgeon when the (NG) tube appeared in the stomach. The sonographer using 2-dimensional images, who was also an anesthesiologist then determined whether the (NG) tube was placed in the esophagus or not. Neither the surgeon or the anesthesiologist who used sonography were aware of each other’s evaluation (Muslu et al., …show more content…
One advantage of the neck ultrasonography was that it was quick and easier to use that the pH meter. However, ultrasonography will show if the (NG) tube passes through the esophagus but it does not show if the tip is still within the esophagus. The one (NG) tube of the 35 studied was noted to be in the esophagus and not the stomach. Because it passed through the esophagus but the tip remained in the esophagus and not the stomach, this was deemed a false positive. The articles states that the pH meter was 71% accurate in correct (NG) tube placement. Upon completion of this study, it was determined that neck ultrasonography has a high sensitivity than the pH meter as it relates to confirming the position of the (NG) tube. The pH meter had the disadvantage in that it does not provided sufficient information to determine if the (NG) tube is in the stomach or in the esophagus. Finally, the study concluded that neck ultrasonography is better than the pH meter to determine the location of the (NG) tube (Muslu et al.,