DECUBITUS LESIONS OF ESOPHAGUS AND STOMACH INDUCED BY NASOGASTRIC INTUBATION

Abstract

Of 166 emergency endoscopic examinations performed for hematemesis or melena since June 1979 to January 1983, 12 decubitus lesions in 8 cases, which were considerd to be induced by nasogastric intubation, were analyzed. Esophageal erosions were found in all cases. Two cases had gastric ulcers in the cardia and two cases had them on the greater curvature in the corpus. All lesions were chara-cterized to be contacted with nasogastric tubes and be longitudinal along tubes. Four cases out of them, the bleeding sites coresponded with these decubitus ulcers which were induced by nasogastric intubation and the other four had another bleeding sites. These decubitus lesions were observed more often in surgical cases, especially in post operative cases such as Genito-Urinary disease. Important risk factors of decubitus ulcers were included prolonged supine position, renal failure, hypoproteinemia, paralytic ileus, and coagulation abnomalities, etc. Nasogastric intubation should be performed with caution for high risk groups.