The purpose of this study is to compare two methods of nasogastric/oral gastric (NG/OG) tube placement for efficacy and safety in the placement of NG/OG tube in infants less than 6 months of age. One method is based on the infant's length determined by measurement using a length board and plotted on a graph derived from a formula to determine the depth for tube insertion (graph method) and the other method is based on current standard of care, measuring from the nose to the ear and then the ear to mid abdomen (NEM) and mark the tube to know how far to insert the tube. Outcome comparison will be xray verification of placement.
Preterm infants often require nutritional intake through a nasogastric or oral gastric tube to meet their high energy requirement and avoid aspiration of nutrition due to their immature suck/swallow reflex. When providing nutrition via an NG or OG tube, there are two basic safety issues; accurate placement, determined by the end of the tube reaching the mid abdominal area, and verification methods to assure placement is optimal. Based on a review of relevant literature, a potentially more accurate method of tube placement is available than the method used in current practice. We hypothesize the graph method will result in a more accurate and less variable placement of the NG tube into the mid-stomach of preterm infants than the current standard using the NEM method.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
9
The graph method is based on the infants' length determined by measurement using a length board and plotted on a graph derived from a formula to determine the depth for tube insertion (graph method). The graph method has been tested in the pediatric population but not in infants under six months of age (Klazner, Luke and Scalso, 2002). Using a graph method might reduce some of the variability in placement. We propose to extend the Klazner, Luke and Scalso (2002) study in the infant population.
measure distance from the mouth to the ear and then the ear to mid abdomen and mark the tube to insert to that length
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Evaluate safety and efficacy of Nasogastric/Orogastric tube placement using the length method
During the same day of NG/OG tube placement, verification of placement will be performed by bedside nurse as per institutional standards. X-ray verification will be done in batches (not same day) and read by radiologist blind to insertion method.
Time frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospitalization, an average expected time of 4 weeks. Once an OG/NG tube change is completed per study protocol the participant will have completed the study.
compare depth ( too high, center, or too low) of NG/OG tube between the length method and the NEM method
Radiologist blinded to the randomized method of insertion will determine location of placement.
Time frame: X-ray outcome of NG/OG placement will be measured after every 10 subjects complete the study, on average 4 weeks.
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