Naso-Gastric Tube and CPAP in the Hospital

Hi all, it's been a couple of years since I last posted. At the time I asked the forum about using my cpap with a naso-gastic tube. The consensus at the time was to let the respiratory therapists figure it out in the hospital.

I had a chance to find out last month when I was hospitalized for four days and used an NG tube. The answer is that I couldn't use my cpap at the same time. The nurses gave me supplemental oxygen to use instead. There was no way to use the cpap at the same time.

Has anyone else had a different experience?

I remember the discussion but can't find the link to it just now.

Since the NG tube goes in through the nose, you could use an Oracle 2 mask which a mouth only mask.
I seem to remember that there is a FFM that is designed to allow the NG tube to slip under the mask seal and still provide a workable seal for the cpap.

Edit: Here is the link.
viewtopic/t93971/NG-tube-and-CPAP.html#p867727

I think the RT at the hospital just didn't want to bother - just saying...

I would think the NG tube could be snaked through an oxygen port, found on many full face masks.
Just lazy, I guess.

Thanks. I brought my own equipment and was never offered a FFM. As for the others referenced, I was too sick to mess with trying a mask that I don't ordinarily use. If I were to have to deal with this more often then I would buy the mask (since the hospital didn't offer one.)

Interesting. When I saw the topic my mind didn't go directly to mask fit so much as to wondering if the NG tube going into the stomach would cause issues with air in the belly. Anybody got thoughts on that aspect?

kteague wrote:Interesting. When I saw the topic my mind didn't go directly to mask fit so much as to wondering if the NG tube going into the stomach would cause issues with air in the belly. Anybody got thoughts on that aspect?

That is an interesting thought. I would think it would be a very real possibility that the pressure might make it's way to the stomach around the tube but the NG tube would work to counteract that as it's function is stomach decompression unless it is being used for feeding. So adding extra pressure to a situation that required decompression would have to be evaluated.