Effect of Local Anesthesia for Nasogastric Tube Placement

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the effect of sprayed 10% xylocaine as a local anesthesia in reducing the pain associated with nasogastric tube(NGT) placement METHOD: This was a prospective, randomized, case-controlled trial conducted in the emergency department of a university teaching hopital. Study participants were alert patients requiring NGT placement for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Patients having NGT placement were randomized to receive either a 10% xylocaine solution or nothing sprayed in the nasopharynx and oropharynx. After 5 minutes, the distal 5 cm of the NGT were lubricated with a liberal amount of sterile, water-soluble, and non-anesthesient jelly before placement. After each procedure, the patient recorded assessment of subjective pain on a 100-mm visual analog scale(VAS). RESULT: A total of 71 patients were evaluated in the study with 32 in the case group and 39 in the control group. The mean VAS value of the case group was 38.8 mm(95% confidence interval[CI] 2.4 to 51.3); that of control group was 63.31 mm. The mean difference between groups was 24.40 mm(95% CI, 26.9 to 75.9). A statistically significant difference was achieved between the case and the control groups(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Sprayed nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal 10% xylocaine results in a statistically significant reduction in pain during NGT placement.