A nasogastric tube or NG tube passes through the nose, down the back of the throat, through the gullet and into the stomach. It can be used to either drain stomach contents to a bag outside the patient or else introduce nutrition and medication into the stomach of a patient who is unable to swallow. They can be inserted in an awake patient by encouraging the patient to take repeated swallows as the tube is threaded gently into the back of the throat via the nose.
NG tubes are commonly used in intensive care as many of our patients are unable to eat for themselves.
Adequate nutrition is an important factor in aiding recovery from critical illness.
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