Chest
Clinical InvestigationsPleuropulmonary Complications of Enteral Tube Feedings: Two Reports, Review of the Literature, and Recommendations
Section snippets
Case 1
A 68-year-old woman with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was admitted to the Medical University Hospital for increasing shortness of breath. Pulmonary angiograms documented pulmonary thromboembolism, and therapy with heparin was initiated. The patient's medical history was complicated by chronic renal insufficiency, nephrotic syndrome of undefined etiology, a right mastectomy for breast cancer, and probable primary hyperparathyroidism. Worsening respiratory failure required
Discussion
When a foreign object is inserted into the body, it can cause injury from the site of entry to the site of distal placement. Since the introduction of nasogastric tubes, refinements have been made, and the spectrum of injuries has changed. Earlier large-bore stiff tubes (16 to 20 French) were inserted easily,10 but there were problems related to the patients comfort and to ischemia and necrosis of superficial tissues due to compression of the tube against mucosal surfaces. Ulceration and
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Cited by (0)
Manuscript received December 20; revision accepted January 30.