Age and Ageing Advance Access originally published online on June 5, 2006
Age and Ageing 2006 35(5):538-539; doi:10.1093/ageing/afl042
Nasogastric tube syndrome: a life-threatening laryngeal obstruction in a 72-year-old patient*
1 Acute Geriatric Department, Herzog Hospital, POB 3900, Jerusalem 91035, Israel
2 Director, Herzog Hospital, POB 3900, Jerusalem 91035, Israel
3 Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Hadassah Hebrew-University Hospital, POB 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
Address correspondence to: E.-L. Marcus. Tel: (+972) 2 5316881. Fax: (+972) 2 6536075. Email: elm{at}zahav.net.il
Abstract
Nasogastric tube (NGT) syndrome is a rarely reported complication of NGT use that can cause life-threatening laryngeal obstruction. The syndrome results from post-cricoid ulceration, which affects the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles, thus causing vocal cord abduction paralysis and upper airway obstruction. We describe a case of a 72-year-old patient with this syndrome who was treated successfully and emphasise the difficulty of diagnosis in frail older adults.
Keywords: nasogastric tube syndrome, larynx, upper airway obstruction, enteral nutrition, elderly