Gastrointestinal tube insertion techniques in critical patients: Scoping review

Abstract

Objective: to map the production of knowledge about the different techniques of gastrointestinal tube insertion in critically ill and/or coma patients. Method: scope review carried out in December 2020 in ten data sources, following the assumptions established by the Joanna Briggs Institute (2020) and the PRISMA-ScR protocol. Results: 25 studies were selected and analyzed, identifying as the main techniques for insertion of gastrointestinal tube in critically ill and/or coma patients: techniques without the aid of instrumentals, such as head flexion, lateral neck pressure, tube freezing, measurement with corrected formula of the tip of the ear-lobe tip-xiphoid process, Sellick´s maneuver, cricoid cartilage compression, SORT maneuver and gastric insufflation. In addition to techniques with the aid of instruments, such as the use of laryngoscopes and video laryngoscopes. It is noteworthy that, in order to facilitate insertion, the use of ultrasound examination, radiological, endoscopic and fluoroscopy were also identified. Conclusions: the evidence analyzed reveals that there is no specific gastrointestinal tube insertion technique for universally accepted critically ill patients.