Should all million nasogastic tubes be replaced with gastric tonometers?
• Richard G Fiddian-Green, None None Nasogastic tubes were designed to avoid the complications of gastric atony, an ileus and mechanical obstuction. The primary benefits are relief of nausea and vomiting, reducing the risks of aspiration, and preventing acute dilatation of the stomach. If used to infuse nutrients these objectives are subverted. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that using a nasogastric or feeding tube to fed patients has yet to be shown to improve outcome relative to no feeding at all. The effects of the combination of parenteral and enteral nutrition on mortality and infection rates in critically ill patients have been compared with enteral nutrition alone. Meta-analysis results show non- significant reductions in mortality and infectious complications favoring enteral nutrition (1). Even enthusiastic believers ackowledge that, “it is not clear in which conditions it improves patient outcome and how to optimize its delivery (2). Calorie restriction increases longevi
