Nasogastric tube insertion in intubated patients with the guide of wire rope: A prospective randomised controlled study

Introduction Nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion is sometimes required in intubated patients. NGTs are prone to kink and coil during blind insertion. We hypothesised that wire rope guide-assisted NGT insertion with chin lift can significantly improve the first-attempt success rate over the conventional technique during its insertion in intubated patients. Objective Mean time to successful insertion of NGT, the failure rate of NGT insertion in the first attempt, the failure rate of NGT insertion in the second attempt and overall failure rate were assessed along with the incidence of any complications. Method This prospective clinical trial conducted 100 adult patients presenting for abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia. These patients were randomised to an experimental technique of Wire rope guide with chin lift (wire group) or a control technique of head flexion (control group) for insertion of the NGT. Results The first-attempt success rate was 98% in wire group compared with 74% in the control group (P = .001). Thus, the first-attempt failure rate was 2% in wire group compared with 26% in the control group (P = .001). The median time required to insert the NGT was significantly shorter in wire group (35.3 +/- 4.8 vs 61.5 +/- 6.2 seconds, P = .001). The incidences of kinking/coiling, bleeding, and moderate injuries were significantly lower in wire group. Conclusion The use of rope wire guide for correct positioning of the NGT in intubated patients is less time-consuming with the high first-attempt success rate and lower incidence of procedure-related injuries compared to the conventional method.