Feasibility of volatile detection for NG-tube placement (Phase II)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Feasibility of Volatile Biomarker Positioning of Naso-Gastric (NG) Tubes to Enhance Patient Safety (Phase II)

• IRAS ID

  233869

• Contact name

  Angela Grange

• Contact email

  angela.grange@bthft.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 4 months, 3 days

• Research summary

  Naso-gastric (NG) tubes (a tube passed through a patient's nostril into their food pipe and then stomach, secured to the patient's cheek with tape) are widely used in the NHS for adult and child patients to provide enteral feeds or
  medicines for patients who cannot swallow or tolerate feeds by mouth, or patients requiring intensive care/surgery.

  There are patient safety concerns if a NG-tube becomes misplaced into the patient's lung during insertion or moves out of the patient's stomach at a later stage, which can result in serious consequences for the patient or even death if
  feeding occurs through a misplaced NG-tube. The current procedure for testing correct placement of an NG-tube relies upon getting gastric aspirate up an NG-tube for testing with pH paper, but only 65% success rates are reported for
  getting aspirate. Then X-rays are used to verify NG-tube position; X-rays
  are costly and inconvenient for patients, and also subject to misinterpretation. Something better is needed. The research proposed aims to build upon our earlier feasibility study to test our proof of concept using volatile organic compounds as biomarkers for NG-tube position and measuring a pH response.

  The study will obtain biological samples from 15 patients undergoing a routine hospital gastroscopy procedure. These samples will be analysed using chemical sensor technology which will provide further evidence to support the development of a new portable bedside device that healthcare staff and carers could use to test correct placement of an NG-tube.

• REC name

  North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/NW/0608

• Date of REC Opinion

  17 Oct 2017

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion