An unanticipated use of the nasogastric feeding tube

• Published in: Respirology case reports Vol. 8; no. 5; pp. e00561 - n/a
• Main Authors: Yanagisawa, Satoru, Takashi, Ohe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-07-2020; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Case reports; Clinical Image; Lower respiratory tract; nasogastric feeding tube; pneumonia; sampling; Lower respiratory tract; nasogastric feeding tube; pneumonia; sampling
• ISSN: 2051-3380; 2051-3380
• DOI: 10.1002/rcr2.561

Key message
Indeed, the nasogastric feeding (NGF) tube should be used only for the main intended purpose such as feeding, and the correct insertion of the NGF tube into the gastrointestinal tract is encouraged; however, an NGF tube aberrantly inserted into the lung might provide a valuable opportunity of obtaining samples from the lower respiratory tract.
Nasogastric feeding (NGF) tube should be used only for the main intended purpose such as feeding, and the correct insertion of the NGF tube into the gastrointestinal tract is encouraged; however, an NGF tube aberrantly inserted into the lung might provide a valuable opportunity of obtaining samples from the lower respiratory tract. Here, we present the case of a 77‐year‐old‐man with right lower pneumonia who required NGF. The NGF tube was inadvertently inserted into the right main airway to the lower lung and immediately removed. However, the tube had collected some sample which was used to confirm the presence of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which guided treatment.