Nasogastric tube insertion

Indications
By inserting a nasogastric tube, you are gaining access to the stomach and its contents.
This enables you to:
 drain gastric contents,
 decompress the stomach,
 obtain a specimen of the gastric contents,
 or introduce a passage into the GI tract.

 This will allow you to treat gastric immobility, and bowel obstruction.

 It will also allow for drainage and/or lavage in drug overdosage or poisoning.

 In trauma settings, NG tubes can be used to aid in the prevention of vomiting and aspiration, as well as for assessment of GI bleeding.

 NG tubes can also be used for enteral feeding initially.

Contraindications
Nasogastric tubes are contraindicated in the presence of severe facial trauma
(cribriform plate disruption), due to the possibility of inserting the tube intracranially.
In this instance, an orogastric tube may be inserted.