gastrointestinal intubation

Introduction

• passing a tube through the nose or mouth, through the esophagus, & into the stomach or intestine
• percutaneous access to the GI tract (i.e. gastrostomy, colostomy, ileostomy)

Indications

• to obtain specimens of gastric &/or intestinal contents for laboratory analysis
  • pancreatic disease
  • biliary disease
  • gastric disease
• to relieve distention of the stomach or intestine, or to keep an obstructed bowel empty
• to gavage (tube feed) or to administer drugs to patients unable to eat
• to lavage (wash out) the stomach prior to surgery
  • poisoning
  • upper GI bleeding

Procedure

• many different tubes for different purposed
• dince gastrointestinal tubes are inserted into nonsterile body cavities, sterile technique is usually not required

More general terms

• clinical procedure

More specific terms

• duodenal intubation & aspiration
• esophageal intubation
• gastric intubation
• intestinal intubation
• nasogastric tube (NGT) placement (gastric intubation)
• nasojejunal tube

Additional terms

• medications via enteral tube