Effect of a novel gastric tube insertion method using a light-emitting diode source and fiber in neonates: a multicenter study (GATU-LED Study)

Objective A reliable method for verifying the position of a nasogastric tube (NGT) or an orogastric tube (OGT) does not exist. This study determined whether using a light-emitting diode source and fiber (LED-SF) can accurately confirm the tip of NGT/OGT in neonates. Study Design This prospective multicenter study was conducted at five tertiary NICUs. NGT/OGT was inserted using the LED-SF. Cross-tabulation test or Bland-Altman analysis were performed to evaluate whether the tip position was correctly inserted. Results A total of 101 neonates with a corrected gestational age of median 36.1 [range 24.3–45.7] weeks were enrolled. Most of the tips were in the correct position (80.2%) ( p  < 0.0001). The association between the insertion length determined using LED-SF and the final length determined after X-ray was significant. Conclusion LED-SF is an effective and safe method for correctly inserting the NGT/OGT and offers a viable and reliable alternative to conventional methods, including X-ray.