What is already known about the topic?
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There are multiple reports of death and harm caused by misplacement of nasogastric feeding tubes.
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pH testing should be used as a first line bedside method but the auscultatory method, although proven unreliable, is still widely practiced.
What this paper adds
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Aspirates from initially placed nasogastric tubes with a pH of ≤ 5.5 are reliable to differentiate if the tube is in or outside the stomach but this does not completely rule out oesophageal placement.
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Additional measures can be implemented to increase the success obtaining an aspirate from the nasogastric tube after initial placement.
1. Introduction