Clinical Experience With Nasogastric Tube Placement Using a Biologically Transparent Illumination System in...

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Medical Devices
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Nasogastric tube (NGT) placement confirmation is crucial in critically ill patients.
• Current methods like X-ray have limitations, necessitating exploration of adjunctive techniques.
• A Biologically Transparent Illumination (BTI) system offers a potential bedside method for visualizing NGT placement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical feasibility and detectability of a BTI system for NGT placement in critically ill patients.
• To assess the impact of patient-specific factors on BTI system performance.

Main Methods:

• A preliminary prospective observational study involving ten critically ill patients.
• NGT placement was performed using the BTI system in the intensive care unit (ICU).
• BTI light detection in the epigastric region was assessed, followed by X-ray confirmation.

Main Results:

• The BTI light was successfully detected in 5 out of 10 patients.
• X-ray confirmed correct NGT placement in all patients.
• BTI detectability was hindered by obesity, massive ascites, and increased NGT tip-to-skin distance.

Conclusions:

• The BTI system shows potential as a supportive tool for NGT placement confirmation in critically ill patients.
• Detectability is significantly influenced by patient anatomy, limiting its universal applicability.
• Further studies are required to identify specific patient populations who would benefit most from this technology.