To explore the value of ultrasound localization combined with water injection in nasointestinal intubation in elderly patients with severe diseases.

A total of 52 elderly critically ill patients admitted to Zhejiang Hospital from January 2018 to October 2018 who underwent enteral nutrition support were selected as subjects. Ultrasound-guided water injection is used to guide the placement of the nasointestinal tube. Ultrasound positioning of the nasointestinal tube at different anatomical locations was performed during catheterization. When abdominal X-ray examination confirmed that the head of naso intestinal tube was located behind the pylorus, the catheterization was successful. Calculate the success rate of catheterization, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of ultrasonic localization.

Among the 52 elderly patients, 48 cases were successfully catheterized, and the success rate was 92.3%. Among them, 46 cases (88.5%) had successful one-time tube placement, and the average tube placement time was (21.0±4.7) min. Four cases (7.7%) failed to place the tube, and the abdominal X-ray examination confirmed the tube was folded in stomach. The 48 elderly patients who underwent successful catheterization, 46 were successfully located with ultrasound, and the nasointestinal tube was not located at pylorus in 2 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of the ultrasonic localization method were 95.8%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 67.0%, and 96.2%, respectively.

Ultrasound localization combined with water injection can quickly, accurately and safely guide the nasointestinal tube placement in elderly critically ill patients.