Introduction
The nasogastric tube (NGT) has been widely accepted for routine perioperative use in surgical patients for decades. NGTs are used to decompress the gastric contents or to administer feeds and or medications for patients unable to tolerate oral intake [1,2]. In cardiac surgery particularly, NGTs have been used for post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) which occurs very commonly, however the role of NGTs in reducing this complication has been controversial in the literature [3]. The capability of early delivering medications, such as aspirin after coronary artery bypass grafting, adds more utility to NGT use in the immediate postoperative period [4,5]. There are ongoing debates regarding the efficacy of NGTs, whether they are necessary, and the complications NGT may cause. While some authors consider that postoperative NGT insertion should be the standard of care to minimize the incidence of PONV, alleviate gastric distension, and reduce risk of pulmonary complications [6], some argue that NGTs are ineffective for the prophylactic purposes suggested and can even exacerbate negative outcomes in postoperative patients.
In this paper, we review the current evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of NGT use following cardiac surgery with particular emphasis on its potential role in enhancing recovery in this group of patients.