title: Experience in Bedside Placement, Clinical Validity, and Cost-Efficacy of a Self-Propelled Nasojejunal Feeding Tube.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The procedures needed to insert nasojejunal tubes (NJTs) are often invasive or uncomfortable for the patient and require hospital resources. The objectives of this study were to describe our experience in inserting a self-propelling NJT with distal pigtail end and evaluate clinical validity and cost efficacy of this enteral nutrition (EN) approach compared with parenteral nutrition (PN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study from July 2009 to December 2010, including hospitalized noncritical patients who required short-term jejunal EN. The tubes were inserted at bedside, using intravenous erythromycin as a prokinetic drug. Positioning was considered correct when the distal end was beyond the ligament of Treitz. Migration failure was considered when the tube was not positioned into the jejunum within 48 hours postinsertion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six insertions were recorded in 47 patients, most frequently in severe acute pancreatitis (69.6%). The migration rates at 18 and 48 hours postinsertion were 73.2% and 82.1%, respectively. There was migration failure in 8.9% of cases, and 8.9% were classified null (the tube was no longer in the gastrointestinal tract at 18 hours). There were no reported or observed complications. The mean duration of the EN was 12 ± 10.8 days. Five different types of EN formula were used. The total study cost was 53.9% lower compared with using PN in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that bedside insertion of a self-propelling NJT is a safe, cost-effective, and successful technique for postpyloric enteral feeding in at least 73% of the patients, and only 18% of patients could eventually need other placement techniques. It can avoid the need for more aggressive or expensive placement techniques or even PN if we cannot achieve enteral access.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain cpuiggros@vhebron.net.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puiggròs
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molinos
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M Dolors
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Concepcion
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Hegoi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Segurola
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Support Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burgos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007583:Jejunum; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cost analysis; enteral nutrition; nutritional support; parenteral nutrition