ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of three external nasogastric tube fixations on unplanned nasogastric tube removal after radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.Methods Two hundred and thirty four esophageal cancer patients who underwent radical esophagectomy with nasogastric intubation were assigned into conventional group I(n=74),conventional group II (n=79)and experiment group(n=81)using random number table.For external fixation of the nasogastric tube,the traditional group I used“3M”silk tape,the traditional group II used a white flat strap with two knots and the experiment group used anI-shaped nasal fixation tape combined with a flapping cheek fixation tape.The three groups were compared in terms of displacement of the indwelling nasogastric tube and slippage of the tube.Results The displacement rate of nasogastric tube and the rate of slippage in the experiment group were both significantly lower than those in both conventional groups I and II(all P<0.05).Conclusion TheI-shaped nasal fixation tape combined with a flapping cheek fixation tape in fixing the nasogastric tube can effectively reduce the incidence of unplanned removal of nasogastric tube and meanwhile the patients may feel comfort and satisfactory.