A comparative study between routine and selective use of nasogastric suction in cases of Elective surgery

Background: Nasogastric intubation was in routine use after abdominal surgeries for the last many years. During the few years, better concepts of peri-operative fluid management, early postoperative mobilisation and good pain control have changed the whole scenario of postoperative course of patients on surgical floor. These changes have raised many questions on routine use of postoperative nasogastric decompression after small bowel anastomosis. Methods: A hospital based randomised comparative interventional study conducted at Surgery Department, SMS Medical College which included elective GI surgery from March 2013 to December 2014. Results: A total of 281 patients were included in the study, Almost 50% cases were allocated to each study group (group 1 - with routine NG tube and group 2 - selective NG tube). When we statistically compare the post operative clinical parameters in both groups, we find that the time taken for return of bowel sounds (3.08 vs 2.43 days), passage of flatus (3.30 vs 2.75 days) and motion (4.53 vs 3.85 days), mobilisation of patients (2.46 vs 1.16 days) and the duration of hospital stay (6.73 vs 5.89 days); all are significantly less in study group 2 in which the policy of selective insertion of NG tube was undertaken.