Complications of gastric tube insertion

A gastric tube is only worn to prevent lung infection or to prevent patients from eating.

Hoarseness (I) Clinical manifestations: Throat pain and hoarseness after catheterization or during the period of gastric tube retention.

(II) Prevention and treatment: 1. Choose a gastric tube of appropriate thickness according to age, gender, and individual differences. Using a silicone tube can reduce local irritation.

2. If hoarseness is detected, ask the patient to speak less so that the vocal cords can rest.

3. The gastric tube should be removed as soon as possible if the condition permits.

Hiccup (I) Clinical manifestations: continuous, short and frequent hiccups in the throat, making it difficult to control oneself. In mild cases, the symptoms last for minutes or hours; in severe cases, the symptoms occur day and night, seriously affecting the patient's breathing, rest, and sleep.

(II) Prevention and treatment: 1. Oral care should be performed every day when a gastric tube is placed. Be careful not to use cold water for stimulation and do not make the cotton ball too wet.

2. Once hiccups occur, the first thing you can do is to distract your attention. Or you can take turns pressing the patient's Zanzhu acupoint with your thumbs for one minute on each side, which can usually relieve the pain. You can also press your index fingers on the Yifeng points in the depressions of the patient's left and right earlobes, with the technique ranging from light to heavy, pressing and lifting at the patient's maximum tolerance. Continue for one minute, then slowly release your hands to stop the hiccups.

3. If the above methods are ineffective, sublingual administration of nitroglycerin or metoclopramide can be used for treatment. In severe cases, 50 mg of chlorpromazine can be injected intramuscularly.

Pharyngeal and esophageal mucosal injury and bleeding (I) Clinical manifestations: pharyngeal discomfort, pain, swallowing difficulties, unbearable, bloody discharge from the nasal cavity, and some patients have symptoms of infection.

(II) Prevention and treatment: 1. For patients with long-term indwelling gastric tubes, polyvinyl chloride and silicone tubes should be used. They are soft in texture and small in diameter, which can reduce the damage of the tube to the mucosa.

2. Provide thorough explanations to the patient and obtain his/her full cooperation. The catheter placement action should be gentle, steady and quick.

3. Patients with long-term indwelling gastric tubes should use paraffin oil drops in the nose every day to prevent dryness and erosion of the nasal mucosa.

4. Prevention can be achieved by spraying a mixed solution into the throat, that is, add a mixture of 15 ml of 2% metronidazole, 5 ml of 2% lidocaine, and 5 mg of dexamethasone into a sprayer, and spray it into the throat 4 times, about 2 to 3 ml, three times a day.