Cervical Emphysema and Pneumomediastinum Caused by a Nasogastric Tube: A Case Report

BACKGROUND The nasogastric tube (NGT) is a common medical device, and serious complications associated with NGT insertions are rare. The most common serious complication is tracheal insertion; cervical emphysema and pneumomediastinum are rare. There are several methods for confirming the location of the NGT, but a single method of confirmation is often inadequate. Confirmation by air insufflation into the NGT is currently not recommended and is highly invasive. Here, we report a case of cervical emphysema and pneumomediastinum caused by an NGT. CASE REPORT A 94-year-old woman experienced a stroke and was hospitalized for neurosurgery. The nurse inserted an NGT and performed insufflation, but air sounds were not detected. Chest radiography did not reveal the tip of the NGT. Computed tomography (CT) revealed cervical emphysema, pneumomediastinum, an NGT bent in the esophagus, and the distal end of the NGT in the nasopharynx. Nasopharyngeal endoscopy revealed damaged nasopharyngeal mucosa and the distal end of the NGT. The patient was diagnosed with insufflated air passing through the damaged nasopharynx, which had spread to the cervical area and mediastinum. The NGT was removed, and the patient was treated with antibiotics. CT showed cervical emphysema, and the pneumomediastinum resolved after 20 days. CONCLUSIONS It is important to recognize that there are numerous serious and unexpected complications associated with NGT. Different methods should be considered and used to confirm the location of an NGT. Further studies on the confirmation methods and dissemination of such knowledge are required to reduce NGT complications.