[Feedings of critical care patients by endoscopic three-luminal tube--a retrospective analysis]

Enteral nutrition (EN) represents a preferred type of nutritional support in critical care patients, in spite of the high incidence of intolerance. One of the methods which can speed up the delivery of adequate amounts of food is to switch from the gastric to post-pyloric feeding. A three-luminal tube (TLT) enables post-pyloric enteral feeding with accompanying gastric decompression. The aim of our study was to evaluate effectiveness and safety of the endoscopically introduced TLT along with the estimation of the adequate dose of enteral nutrition.

Retrospective analysis of 111 critical care patients with 140 introduced TLT during 2003 to 2006 in two intensive care units (UIC) in the Teaching hospital in Plzen included patients of average age 54 years (+/- 15), APACHE II score 26 (+/- 10) and UIC mortality was 24%. Eight introductions were technically not successful (6%). Reintroduction of the tube was necessary in 21 patients (19%). The average time of tube introduction was 6 minutes (+/- 3). In direct relation to endoscopy no serious complication was observed. In our cohort, 34 ventilator-associated pneumonias developed (31%). Average time interval since the admission to the hospital till TLT introduction was 7 days (+/- 6). Evaluation of a subgroup of 77 patients from one UIC has shown that the adequate amount of EN was achieved in 82% of patients in 4 days (+/- 3) after the TLT introduction. In average, TLT was introduced for 11 days (+/- 7).

Endoscopic TLT introduction represents a safe and reliable method which can ensure adequate amount of enteral nutrition in majority of critical care patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction. In our conditions, TLT is probably not sufficiently used.