Nasogastric tube placement confirmation: where we are and where we should be heading

Abstract

Background: Insertion of a tube via the nasal passage is a common procedure which has been practiced for many years. There are various ways to assess the position of the nasogastric tube (NGT). Objectives: The objective of this study was to discuss the advantages and limitations of each method of NGT placement confirmation, to identify gaps in literature, and provide suggestions for future research. Methods: A search was performed with Pubmed, CINAHL, and Embase. The following keywords were used: “nasogastric,” “tube,” “placement,” “insertion,” and “measurement.” The results were narrowed down to those with full text available, published in the English language, those published within the last 10 years, and those studies done in the adult population. The reference lists of those articles were also referred to and relevant articles were retrieved. A final 26 relevant articles were included in this review, including six that were published more than 10 years ago but still relevant in this review. Results: A method to confirm NGT placement that is accurate, affordable, does not require gastric aspirates, and is able to be used not only upon insertion but also at regular intervals is lacking. Conclusions: This article provides a summary of the different methods of NGT placement confirmation and discusses their advantages and limitations. Gaps in literature and suggestions for future research were also deliberated.