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Preventing Respiratory Complications of Tube Feedings: Evidence-Based Practice

The most dreaded complication of tube feedings is tracheobronchial aspiration of gastric contents. Strong evidence indicates that most critically ill, tube-fed patients receiving mechanical ventilation aspirate at least once during their early days of tube feeding. Those who aspirate frequently are about 4 times more likely to have pneumonia develop than are those who aspirate infrequently. Although the patient’s illness might not be modifiable, some risk factors for aspiration can be controlled; among these are malpositioned feeding tubes, improper feeding site, high gastric volume, and supine position of the patient. A review of current research-based information to support modification of these risk factors is provided in this article.

Norma Metheny’s presentation will be published in its entirety in the July 2006 issue of the Journal.

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