Inadvertent Intracranial Nasogastric Tube Placement Causing Traumatic Brain Injury in a Neonatal Cat.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Critical Care

Background:

• A 20-day-old kitten presented with labored breathing and decreased appetite, diagnosed with bronchointerstitial pneumonia.
• Treatment included antibiotics, oxygen therapy, and nutritional support via nasogastric tube placement.

Observation:

• Resistance was noted during nasogastric tube insertion.
• Radiographs revealed the tube had entered the calvarium through the cribriform plate and coiled intracranially.

Findings:

• The nasogastric tube was removed without immediate neurological decline.
• Postmortem imaging and necropsy confirmed severe pneumonia and significant cerebral/midbrain hemorrhage due to traumatic intracranial placement.

Implications:

• This case underscores the potential for severe complications, including fatal intracranial hemorrhage, from nasogastric tube misplacement.
• Highlights the importance of careful technique and imaging confirmation during nasogastric tube placement in veterinary patients, especially neonates.