Inadvertent endobronchial intubation with nasogastric tube. Occurrence after head and neck surgery

Inadvertent endobronchial intubation with nasogastric tubes is hazardous. Massive aspiration can be fatal after nasogastric feeding. In this study, methods of blind nasogastric tube insertion and conventional techniques of confirming the site of the tube are discussed. We stress that direct laryngoscopy either during or immediately after placement or a chest roentgenogram should be considered in the case of nasogastric feeding after major head and neck surgery.