Correction: Selecting pH cut-offs for the safe verification of nasogastric feeding tube placement: a decision analytical modelling approach

ObjectivesThe existing British National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) safety guideline recommends testing the pH of nasogastric (NG) tube aspirates. Feeding is considered safe if a pH of 5.5 or lower has been observed; otherwise chest X-rays are recommended. Our previous research found that at 5.5, the pH test lacks sensitivity towards oesophageal placements, a major risk identified by feeding experts. The aim of this research is to use a decision analytic modelling approach to systematically assess the safety of the pH test under cut-offs 1–9.Materials and methodsWe mapped out the care pathway according to the existing safety guideline where the pH test is used as a first-line test, followed by chest x-rays. Decision outcomes were scored on a 0–100 scale in terms of safety. Sensitivities and specificities of the pH test at each cut-off were extracted from our previous research. Aggregating outcome scores and probabilities resulted in weighted scores which enabled an analysis of the relative safety of the checking procedure under various pH cut-offs.ResultsThe pH test was the safest under cut-off 5 when there was ≥30% of NG tube misplacements. Under cut-off 5, respiratory feeding was excluded; oesophageal feeding was kept to a minimum to balance the need of chest X-rays for patients with a pH higher than 5. Routine chest X-rays were less safe than the pH test while to feed all without safety checks was the most risky.DiscussionThe safety of the current checking procedure is sensitive to the choice of pH cut-offs, the impact of feeding delays, the accuracy of the pH in the oesophagus, as well as the extent of tube misplacements.ConclusionsThe pH test with 5 as the cut-off was the safest overall. It is important to understand the local clinical environment so that appropriate choice of pH cut-offs can be made to maximise safety and to minimise the use of chest X-rays.Trial registration numberISRCTN11170249; Pre-results.

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Malposition of a Nasogastric Feeding Tube Into the Right Pleural Cavity of a Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patient After Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy: A Case Report

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1022308/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Meng Zhang ◽

Hong Zhu ◽

Zheng Liu ◽

Xuexue Deng

Keyword(s):

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ◽

Nasogastric Tube ◽

Pleural Cavity ◽

Feeding Tube ◽

Tube Placement ◽

Nasogastric Feeding ◽

Severe Dysphagia ◽

Nasogastric Feeding Tube ◽

Nasogastric Tubes ◽

The Right

Abstract Background: Nasogastric feeding tube plays an important role in nutrition intake, drug administration, and stomach emptying for patients with severe dysphagia. However, inserting nasogastric tubes is not absolutely harmless. Inadvertent malposition into the trachea or the pleural cavity could result in severe pulmonary complications. Case presentation: We present a case of a 67-year-old patient with a history of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and after the treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Nasogastric tubes have to be placed for enteral nutrition and avoiding aspiration owing to his severe dysphagia. Unfortunately, he experienced a malposition of nasogastric tube into the right pleura cavity after blind replacement by nurse, whereas the nurses and physicians did not recognize this fault, even the bedside chest radiography (X-ray) was performed twice after intubation. A week later, his condition deteriorated so rapidly that he had to undergo tracheotomy, and the tube was finally found in his trachea.Conclusions: The Nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be fully evaluated before the nasogastric tube placement whether the blind insertion is suitable or not. Meanwhile, we should not feed immediately unless we have a radiograph to verify the right position of NG tube. Furthermore, careful monitoring of both typical and untypical symptoms of malposition is essential during tube feeding.

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