title: Inadvertent insertion of a nasogastric tube into the brain: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: The inadvertent insertion of a nasogastric tube (NGT) into the brain of a trauma patient with skull base fractures is reported. A 52-year-old male with head trauma was referred following a car accident with an NGT in situ. Serosanguineous fluid was withdrawn from the NGT, which was considered to be an indication of gastrointestinal bleeding, and cold saline lavage was performed. Skull X-rays revealed intracranial position and coiling of the NGT and pneumocranium. The NGT was immediately removed manually. The patient finally went through neurosurgical operation because of an extradural hematoma, with normal postoperative course and outcome.
authors.affiliation: Second Propedeutical Department of Surgery, Aristotle University, Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. psarras_k@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Kyriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Psarras
authors.forename: Miltiadis A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lalountas
authors.forename: Nikolaos G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Symeonidis
authors.forename: Minas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baltatzis
authors.forename: Efstathios T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ballas
authors.forename: Theodoros E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: Athanasios K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sakantamis
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed