nasogastric

Relating to or involving the nasal passages and the stomach.

Pertaining to the nasal cavity and the stomach.

• n. intubation — the flexible tube with a rounded end is passed through the nasal cavity to the stomach; the technique requires expert knowledge and care to avoid damage to the nasal conchae and mucosa and to avoid passing medicines or feed into the lungs. The intubation may be therapeutic to relieve the stomach of a large volume of regurgitated fluid, or to pass a purgative fluid to the intestines, or the passing may be diagnostic in cases of colic to determine if there is fluid being recycled from the intestine back to the stomach. In small animals also used for enteral feeding.
• n. tube — a tube of soft rubber or plastic that is inserted through a nostril and into the stomach.

  Nasogastric feeding tube. By permission from Reed SM, Bayly WM, Sellon DC, Equine Internal Medicine, Saunders, 2003