Endoscopically guided placement of nasogastric tubes in patients with esophageal carcinoma with absolute dysphagia: Report of a 3-year experience
✍ Scribed by Dr. Nootan Kumar Shukla; Arun Kumar Goel; Vuthaluru Seenu; Rajesh Nanda; Suryanarayana V. Deo; Ajay Kumay Kriplani
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1994
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 370 KB
- Volume
- 56
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-4790
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Esophageal cancer often leads to total or near‐total dysphagia, necessitating placement of nasogastric tubes for nutritional support. In patients with failed blind intubation or even failed fluoroscopic‐guided tube placement, endoscopic guidance has a role to play. The catheter‐over‐guidewire technique is simple, safe, and easy to use. Over a period of 3 years, it was used in 28 patients who had esophageal cancer with absolute dysphagia. Successful placement of Levin tubes was achieved in 21 (75%) of these patients. Failure was more common in upper third lesions. The procedure was done on an outpatient basis, and no procedure‐related complications were recorded in this series. To summarize, endoscopically assisted nasogastric tube placement is a useful option in esophageal cancer when blind intubation has failed, and it should be considered in preference to fluoroscopic assistance if endoscopic facilities are available. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.