T Y P E S OF N AS O G AS T R I C TUBES The first nasogastric t u b e s w e r e m a d e of s of t r ubber . R e c e n t l y , t u b e s h a v e b e e n m a d e of silastic a n d p o l y e t h y l e n e c o m p o u n d s . T h e s e t u b e s c a n be insert ed m o r e easil y a n d al s o c a u s e f e w e r medical pr o bl ems f o r t h e pati ent.

T h e r e a r e f e w e r i nst anc es of i nf l amed tissues. W i t h t h e exc ept i on of t hi s c h a n g e , nasogastric t u b e s a r e v e r y much t h e s a m e t o d a y as t h e y h a v e b e e n f o r t h e l as t t h r e e decades. The m o s t c o m m o n l y u s e d nasogastric t u b e is t h e L e v i n t u b e . O t h e r nasogastric t u b e s i nc l u de t h e S a l e m - s u m p t u b e , t h e Miller-Abbott t u b e , a n d t h e C a n t or t u b e . a. T h e Levin T ube. The a c t u a l t u bi n g is referred to as l u m e n . The L e v i n t u b e is a o n e - l u m e n nasogastric t u b e . The S a l e m - s u m p nasogastric t u b e is a t w o - l u m e n piece of equi pme nt ; t h a t is, it h a s t w o t u b es . The L e v i n t u b e is u s u a l l y m a d e of plastic w i t h s ever al drai nage h o l e s n e a r t h e gastric e n d of t h e t u b e . T h e r e a r e gr aduat ed mar k i ngs on t h e l u m e n so t h a t you c a n s e e how f a r you h a v e ins erted t h e t u b e i nt o t h e pati ent. T h i s nasogastric t u b e is u s e f u l in instilling mat erial i nt o t h e s t o m a c h or s uc ti oni ng material o u t of t h e s t o m a c h . b. T h e Sal e m - Sump T ube. T h i s nasogastric t u b e is a t w o - l u m e n piece of equi pme nt . It h a s a drainage l u m e n a n d a s mal l er s ec o n d a r y t u b e t h a t is o p e n to t h e at mos ph er e. The m a j o r a d v a n t a g e of t hi s t w o - l u m e n t u b e is t h a t it c a n be u s e d f o r c o n t i n u o u s s uc t i on. The c on t i n u o u s airflow r e duc es t h e f r e q u e n c y of s t o m a c h c o n t e n t s bei ng d r a w n up i nt o t h e w h o l e of t h e l u m e n w h i c h is in t h e patient's s t o m a c h . c. T h e Mi ll er - Abbot t Tube. T h i s t u b e is al s o a t w o - l u m e n nasogastric t u b e . T h e r e is a r ub b er bal l oon at t h e tip of o n e t u b e ; t h e o t h e r t u b e h a s h o l e s n e a r its tip. Af t er o n e t u b e h a s pass ed t h r o u g h t h e p y l o r u s ( t h e o peni ng b e t w e e n t h e s t o m a c h a n d t h e d u o d e n u m ) , t h e bal l o o n is inflated w i t h air. The b al l oon is t h e n m o v e d a l o n g t h e intestinal t r act by peristalsis ( m o v e m e n t by al t er nat e c ont r act i on a n d r el axat i on, in t h e c as e, of t h e intestinal w al l s . The r es t of t h e t u b e is propelled a l o n g w i t h t h e bal l o o n. The c o n t e n t s of t h e intestines a r e s uc k e d bac k t h r o u g h t h e h o l e s in t h e t u b e . The MillerAbbot t nasogastric t u b e h a s t w o separat e openi ngs . The e n d of t h e t u b e w h i c h is outsi de t h e patient's b o d y h a s a m e t a l adapter w i t h t w o openi ngs. One openi ng is f o r s uc t i on a n d is m ar k e d "suction." The o t h e r o pe ni ng is u s e d by a doc t or to inflate t h e bal l o on. Be s u r e t hi s l as t openi ng is m ar k e d so t h a t no o n e bec om es c o n f u s e d a n d c o n n e c t s t h e o p e ni n g to a suc t i on devi c e or instills irrigating s ol ut i ons t h r o u g h t h a t ope ni n g. d. T h e Cant or T ube. T h i s nasogastric t u b e h a s o n e l u m e n a n d a b a g on t h e e n d . M e r c u r y is inserted i nt o t h e bag, a n d t h e m e r c u r y h e l p s m o v e t h e t u b e a l o n g t h e intestinal t r act. Bef or e t h e t u b e is inserted i nt o t h e pat ient, m e r c u r y is injected dir ectly i nt o t h e b a g w i t h n e e d l e a n d s yr i nge. The n e e d l e m ak e s an ope ni n g l ar ge e n o u g h f o r t h e m e r c u r y to go t h r o u g h b u t n o t l ar ge e n o u g h f o r t h e m e r c u r y to l eak o u t . When t h e t u b e is inserted i nt o t h e pat ient, t h e b a g hol di ng t h e m e r c u r y bec o mes l o n g . The C a n t or t u b e is v e r y effective when u s e d f o r intestinal decompr ession (relief of s tr etc hi ng of t h e intestine t h r o u g h s uct i oni ng o u t intestinal c o nt e nt s )