Direct, real-time visualization-assisted nasoenteral tube placement in critically ill patients: a multicenter experience - Summary - MDSpire
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Real-Time Visualization Techniques for Nasoenteral Tube Insertion in Critically Ill Patients: Insights from a Multicenter Study

  • By

  • Guoli Yang

  • Jinhan Huang

  • Huaqin Wang

  • Shaozhen Chen

  • Hui Yi

  • Yuequn Chen

  • Weijie Qiu

  • Fang Peng

  • Xiangrong Nie

  • Yihao Liu

  • Qian Zhou

  • Dingfeng Lai

  • Jinxia Li

  • Mingzhu Jiang

  • Cuiling Li

  • Wendan Li

  • Cheng Liu

  • Liqin Zhang

  • Bo Yu

  • Juan Zheng

  • Hui Yang

  • Xiaozhu Li

  • Kar Keung Cheng

  • Jun Jin

  • Xin Tian

  • Yifeng Luo

  • October 6, 2026

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Objective:

To assess the feasibility and learning characteristics of real-time visualization-assisted tube placement (VATP) for postpyloric feeding in ICU patients.

Approach:
  • Study Design: Prospective, multicenter study conducted at five centers in China.
  • Training and Procedure: ICU nurses and clinicians received training in anatomical landmarks and performed consecutive tube placements using a standardized protocol.
  • Outcome Measures: Successful placement was defined as visualization of intestinal villi during the procedure (endoscopy-defined success, EDS) and radiographic confirmation of postpyloric tube position.
Key Findings:
  • Among 316 procedures performed by 12 operators, intestinal villi were visualized in 294 procedures, and radiography confirmed postpyloric placement in 292 (92.4% of all procedures).
  • Operator-specific success rates ranged from 82.4% to 100%; 8 of the 10 operators included in the operator-level analysis achieved rates above 90%.
  • Median procedure duration was 25 minutes overall and 20 minutes during the late phase of operator experience.
Interpretation:

In this study, VATP was feasible, with radiographically confirmed postpyloric placement in most procedures. Procedure duration was shorter during the late phase of operator experience.

Limitations:
  • Differences in case mix across procedures may affect interpretation of the results.
  • The learning-curve assessment was limited to one guidewire-based system and a small number of procedures per operator.
Conclusion:

VATP may offer a bedside approach to postpyloric tube placement in ICU settings. These findings are specific to the study’s setting and system and do not establish comparative effectiveness or suitability when endoscopic resources are limited.

Original Source(s)

Direct, real-time visualization-assisted nasoenteral tube placement in critically ill patients: a multicenter experience

  • by Guoli Yang, Jinhan Huang, Huaqin Wang, Shaozhen Chen, Hui Yi, Yuequn Chen, Weijie Qiu, Fang Peng, Xiangrong Nie, Yihao Liu, Qian Zhou, Dingfeng Lai, Jinxia Li, Mingzhu Jiang, Cuiling Li, Wendan Li, Cheng Liu, Liqin Zhang, Bo Yu, Juan Zheng, Hui Yang, Xiaozhu Li, Kar Keung Cheng, Jun Jin, Xin Tian, Yifeng Luo

  • October 6, 2026

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