1. Radiographic confirmation of feeding tube placement: a diagnostic tool identifying gastrointestinal anomalies.
- Author
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Soylu H, Wiseman NE, El-Sayed Y, Yi M, and Baier RJ
- Subjects
- Diagnosis, Differential, Esophagus abnormalities, Female, Hernia, Hiatal congenital, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Male, Pneumothorax diagnostic imaging, Pneumothorax nursing, Radiography, Ultrasonography, Enteral Nutrition instrumentation, Enteral Nutrition nursing, Equipment Failure, Esophageal Perforation diagnostic imaging, Esophageal Perforation nursing, Esophagus diagnostic imaging, Gastrointestinal Tract abnormalities, Hernia, Hiatal diagnostic imaging, Hernia, Hiatal nursing, Iatrogenic Disease, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Stomach diagnostic imaging, Stomach Volvulus diagnostic imaging, Stomach Volvulus nursing
- Abstract
Feeding tubes are commonly used in neonatal intensive care units, and their abnormal position seen on radiographs may indicate underlying serious problems. We recently cared for two infants who presented with clinical deterioration. An abnormally placed feeding tube seen on the chest radiograph revealed underlying serious conditions. The first case was an infant 29 weeks of age who presented with right-sided pneumothorax after birth. By history and a right-side-displaced orogastric (OG) tube, iatrogenic esophageal perforation was diagnosed. The second case was a 16-day-old infant who presented with recurrent vomiting. An OG tube extending into a cystic mass at the right cardiophrenic angle resulted in diagnosis of a herniated stomach with organoaxial-type volvulus, which required surgical repair. Both cases recovered uneventfully. As illustrated in these two rare cases, feeding tube position is not only important for feeding practice, but it also has diagnostic implications in newborn infants.
- Published
- 2013
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