A new mask designed for patients implanted with a nasogastric tube

So, Edmund Cheung; Chen, Ying-Hui; Wong, Kar-Lok; Poon, Paul Wai-Fung; Huang, Bu-Miin

doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2007.09.007

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Volume 30, Issue 8 , Pages 1020-1023, October 2008

A new mask designed for patients implanted with a nasogastric tube

Edmund Cheung So
- Department of Anesthesia, Chi Mei Medical Center, Yung Kang & Liou Ying, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
- Corresponding author at: Department of Anesthesia, 901 Chung Hwa Road, Chi Mei Medical Center, Yung Kang & Liou Ying, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC. Tel.: +886 6 2812811x53354; fax: +886 6 2830122.
Ying-Hui Chen
- Department of Anesthesia, Chi Mei Medical Center, Yung Kang & Liou Ying, Tainan, Taiwan
Kar-Lok Wong
- Department of Anesthesia, China Medical University & Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
Paul Wai-Fung Poon
- Department of Physiology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Bu-Miin Huang
- Institute of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

Received 6 April 2007; received in revised form 26 September 2007; accepted 28 September 2007. published online 14 November 2007.

Abstract

Pulmonary ventilation of patients implanted with a nasogastric tube is often difficult for medical personnel, since air leakage through the facemask and nasogastric tube interface is inevitable. Here we designed and tested a special facemask to improve ventilation in these patients. Forty patients with ASA class I–II were randomly assigned to two groups (study and control, n=20 each patients/group). All patients received abdominal surgery with a nasogastric tube inserted before operation. Before induction arterial lines were set up under local anesthesia. Blood gas samples were taken before, during and 1min after endotracheal intubation. Haemodynamic data were obtained from the artery lines. Inspiratory and expiratory tidal volumes were measured by the Wright's spirometer connected to the anesthesia machine. For induction we used the new mask for the study group and the conventional mask for the controls. Blood gas values and leakage volumes were compared statistically (unpaired t-test, significant levels set at p<0.05).

Air leakage was significantly reduced under the new mask with a concomitant improvement in PaO₂. There was however no change in terms of haemodynamic and PaCO₂ between the two groups. Results indicated the advantage of the new mask for patients with nasogastric tubes.

Keywords: Nasogastric tube, Mask, Air leakage