08/05/2025
📑 Exploring Nasogastric Intubation (NGT)🩺 in Equine Practice 🐎
Mastering the art of Nasogastric Intubation (NGT) is a crucial skill in equine care, offering a gateway to delve into fascinating anatomy & safety protocols. Here's a sneak peek into the essentials 🕵️♂️:
🚫 Common Error Alert:
👉 Beware the nasal diverticulum, often termed the "false nostril," as it leads to a dead-end street! This cutaneous pouch in the dorsal nasal meatus poses a risk of epistaxis when disturbed due to the delicate ethmoid turbinates. 🦷
✅ Pro Tip: Safely navigate by placing your thumb over it and directing the tube ventrally.
🔧 Technique Insights:
🔹 Ensure lubrication or water at the tip
🔹 Opt for a warm, flexible tube for comfort
🔹 Employ head and neck flexion to aid smooth esophageal passage (not tracheal!)
🔹 Gentle sedation can ease the process 😌
🔍 Confirming Placement:
👈 Palpate and visually confirm on the left neck
👂 Test tube placement by blowing air as someone listens over the stomach
🚫 Note: Coughing may not reliably indicate correct positioning, especially with small tubes or unwell horses.
⚠️ Avoid aspirating fluid unless prepared to jeopardize your own digestive health..