Effect of fluoroscopic tube placement on basal gastric secretion collections

Abstract

To determine whether fluoroscopic positioning of nasogastric tubes is useful in the measurement of basal gastric acid output, four subjects were studied six times each and two subjects ten times each. Fluoroscopic positioning was used or not used according to random sequences. No more gastric juice was obtained in the collections after fluoroscopic positioning of the nasogastric tube than after blind placement. The results suggest no routine need to use fluoroscopic tube placement in the absence of prior gastric surgery.