Q: Nasoenteric tubes tend to be blocked frequently because they are usually longer and of finer bore. They are susceptible to being obstructed by crushed medications, viscous feeds or stasis. In the event of clogging, a tube can usually be unblocked by flushing with?

A)  hot water

B) coca-cola

C) pancreatic enzymes

D) All of the above

Answer: D

Nasoenteric tubes tend to be blocked because they are usually longer and of finer bore. They are especially susceptible to being obstructed by crushed medications, viscous feeds and inadequate flushing. Therefore, these tubes should be flushed every 4-6 h, always before and after usage, and dense feeds and medications should be avoided. In the event of clogging, a tube can usually be unblocked by flushing it with hot water, coca-cola or pancreatic enzymes

Reference:

Niv, E., Fireman, Z., & Vaisman, N. (2009). Post-pyloric feeding. World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG, 15(11), 1281–1288. doi:10.3748/wjg.15.1281