Pulmonary complications from nasoenteral feeding tube insertion in an intensive care unit: incidence and prevention.

We prospectively evaluated 71 nasoenteral feeding tube insertions in critically ill patients and found a 4% incidence of pulmonary complications. All pulmonary complications occurred in tracheally intubated patients. To prevent these complications, we developed an enteral feeding tube insertion technique using a 26-Fr red rubber catheter as an introducer for a 8-Fr feeding tube. This technique is easy to perform by hospital staff and well tolerated by patients. No pulmonary complications occurred in 31 subsequent feeding tube insertions.