[Fixation of nasogastric tubes in agitated and uncooperative patients]

To prevent extubation, nasogastric tubes (NGT) were attached to a fine bore polyurethane tube, which loops loosely around the nasal septum. In a prospective study 180 cases were evaluated concerning the efficacy and possible complications related to this techniques. On average, a nasal septal loop (NSL) remained 20.1 +/- 1.3 days and a NGT 14 +/- 0.9 days. Complications were rare. In 45 of the cases NGT had to be replaced after self extubation and in 2.2% extubation presented more than twice. We think NSL is an easy and useful technique to secure NGT in non-cooperative and/or agitated patients for a relatively short term enteral nutrition or gastric decompression.