Lethal complication from insertion of nasogastric tube after severe basilar skull fracture

An unusual complication is presented arising from the use of a nasogastric tube in a patient with a massive basilar skull fracture. Intracranial passage of the NG tube resulted. Therefore, in the presence of a severe basilar fracture and/or significant maxillofacial trauma where the integrity of the base of the skull may be in question, one should be very hesitant to insert tubes into the nasopharynx.