Samenvatting

After the blind insertion of a nasogastric tube (NGT) in critically ill patients, verifying its position is important, as misplacement can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, pneumothorax, or death. While X-ray remains the gold standard for NGT verification [1,2], readily available methods, including the combined measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in gastrointestinal gas and pH testing of gastric aspirate, are emerging for confirming tube placement after blind insertion. A recent study by Chen et al. published in ICCN specifically explores the potential of the combined CO2/pH test after blind NGT insertion in neurocritical patients [3]. This editorial reflects
on their findings, discusses the importance of contextual application, and suggests a framework for NGT placement verification in clinical practice.