<b>Three Stroke Cases with Gastric Reflux during Nasogastric Tube Feeding Successfully Treated with Rikkunshito Extract</b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

We report three cases of stroke in which rikkunshito was administered to improve the reflux of gastric fluid from a nasogastric tube in a short time.<br>Case 1 a 63-year old female with right cerebellar hemorrhage who underwent surgical evacuation. Reflux of up to 650 ml gastric fluid from a nasogastric tube was observed after surgery. By the 4 th day of rikkunshito administration, the reflux decreased to 10 ml.<br>Case 2 a 44-year old male whose consciousness had deteriorated before surgical treatment because of subarachnoid hemorrhage and re-rupture. Endovascular embolization and bilateral external ventricular drainage were performed for the anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Several days later, rikkunshito administration was initiated because of a reflux of 550 ml gastric fluid from the nasogastric tube. By the 3 rd day of rikkunshito administration, almost no episodes of reflux during tube feeding were observed.<br>Case 3 a 72-year old male who suffered from intratumoral hemorrhage after undergoing surgery for metastatic brain tumor. The intratumoral hemorrhage was treated conservatively. Reflux of 200 ml gastric fluid from the nasogastric tube was observed. By the 3 rd day of rikkunshito administration, the reflux decreased to 10 ml.<br>These findings suggest that rikkunshito is useful in stroke cases with considerable reflux from a nasogastric tube.