THROUGH THE NOSE GASTROSCOPY FOR THE PLACEMENT OF FEEDING TUBES

Following local anesthesia to the nose, through-the-nose (TTN) passage of a paediatric gastroscope was successful and well tolerated in 82 o f 92 patients on whom it was attempted in order to place nasogastric f eeding tubes. This technique allows for guidewire placement to be used for insertion tubes or dilators. The ten failures we observed occurre d in patients with bilateral narrow turbinates. We conclude that the T TN approach is quicker and easier than conventional methods of feeding tube placement allowing for an additional endoscopic evaluation of th e upper GI tract.