Bedside Ultrasonography-Guided Nasogastric Tube Placement in COVID-19 Patients

doi:10.37015/AUDT.2020.200024

Abstract

Abstract:

Protective measures that are needed when treating patients with highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) add difficulty when performing interventional procedures in isolation wards. We describe two cases of ultrasonography-guided nasogastric tube placement in severe COVID-19 patients, both disabled elderly patients who were unconscious and had complicated underlying diseases. The first is an 83-year-old patient with Alzheimer's, hemiplegia, and epilepsy; the second is a 67-year-old patient with hemiplegia and thoracic deformity. Nasogastric tube indwelling for severe patients like this was essential but challenging. With the help of ultrasonography, intubation proceeded successfully and rapidly. Operator’s confidence of appropriate placement was established because of definite tube visualization. These cases demonstrated that bedside ultrasonography in isolation wards can not only facilitate diagnosis but also assist interventional operations.

Key words: Coronavirus; COVID-19; Ultrasonography; Nasogastric Tube

Wenhong Gao, MD, Shunji Gao, MD, Qun-An Huang, MD, Huijuan Xiang, MD. Bedside Ultrasonography-Guided Nasogastric Tube Placement in COVID-19 Patients. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2020, 4(2): 131-133.

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