Evaluation of Two Methods of Jejunal Placement of Enteral Feeding Tubes in Critically Ill Patients

The self-advancing nasal jejunal feeding tube has small alternating cilia-like plastic flaps to help to advance it into the small bowel via peristalsis. The tube is placed in the stomach (50-60 cm mark). Then the tube is left in place for 1 hour to allow the patient's peristalsis to advance the tube by catching its small plastic tabs. Thereafter, the tube is manually advanced 10 cm every hour until the 100 cm mark of length is reached. To improve peristalsis, 10mg metoclopramide i.v. and 200mg erythromycin i.v. 15 minutes before the procedure are administered.

Jejunal feeding tubes are placed using endoscopy