To evaluate the practicability of simplified bedside ultrasound method in confirming the correct placement of nasointestinal tube in critically ill patients.

Totally 59 critically ill patients who had nasointestinal tube indwelled were collected from March, 2016 to April, 2017 in Intensive Care Unit of Taizhou municipal Hospital. In these patients, the location of nasointestinal tubes were detected by using simplified bedside ultrasound method. The nasointestinal tube was confirmed in jejunum if acoustic shadow of nasointestinal tube was detected in canales pyloricus and the insertion length of the nasointestinal tube conformed to the estimated distance from the tip of the nose to the jejunum. Radiographic testing was applied as golden standard for judging naso-jejunal location. Then the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and consistency with radiographic testing were calculated.

Simplified bedsode ultrasound method showed that 50 patients had tubes in position, and 49 of them were confirmed in position by radiographic testing. This method showed that 9 patients did not have tubes in position, while 4 of them were confirmed in position by radiographic testing. Thus, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of simplified bedside ultrasound method in judging positions of nasointestinal tubes was 89.83% (53/59), 92.45% (49/53), and 83.33% (5/6). The results of analysis showed that simplified bedside ultrasound and abdominal X-ray examination showed a general consistency in nasointestinal tube localization in severe patients (Kappa=0.620, P<0.001).

Simplified bedside ultrasound method can confirm naso-jejunal tube position in critically ill patients. This method is accurate, easy to learn,and can be detected quickly and conveniently. Simplified bedside ultrasound method has favorable clinical application value.