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Nasogastric Tube Placement and Esophageal Perforation in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants
Su-Boon Yong1, Jui-Shan Ma2, Feng-Shun Chen3
1Department of Pediatrics, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
Insights
Esophageal perforation from nasogastric tubes can occur in preterm infants. Nonsurgical management with nutrition and antibiotics led to survival without complications in three neonates.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Nasogastric tube placement is a common procedure in neonatal intensive care units.
- Iatrogenic esophageal perforation is a known, albeit infrequent, complication.
Observation:
- Three cases of esophageal perforation secondary to nasogastric tube insertion in preterm infants are presented.
- The perforations were identified following clinical suspicion and diagnostic imaging.
Findings:
- All three neonates received conservative management, including parenteral nutrition and broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- No surgical intervention was required for any of the cases.
- All neonates recovered fully without long-term adverse effects or sequelae.
Implications:
- Nonsurgical management is a viable and effective approach for iatrogenic esophageal perforation in neonates.
- Highlighting preventative strategies during nasogastric tube placement is crucial.
- This case series supports a conservative treatment paradigm, potentially reducing the need for invasive procedures.
Abstract:
Perforation of the esophagus associated with placement of nasogastric tubes is not uncommon in preterm infants. Herein we report three cases of iatrogenic esophageal perforation associated with nasogastric tube placement. With nonsurgical management of parenteral nutrition and broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, all three neonates survived without sequelae. Effective strategies to prevent such complications are discussed.
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