Summary

Gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) is common in ventilated patients and is a cause of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). The novel persistaltic feeding tube (PFT) uses simulated peristalsis to seal the esophagus to fluid moving in a retrograde manner, whilst allowing normal drainage of fluid and secretions moving in an ante-grade manner. This study describes the first trial of the PFT in ventilated patients.

Methods

There were 10 subjects in the treatment (PFT) group and 10 patients in the control group, who had all undergone elective cardiac surgery and were ventilated in the intensive care unit (ICU) afterwards. The PFT was placed on admission to the ICU. In the control group a standard nasogastric tube (NGT) was inserted. Specimens were collected by suctioning from the oropharynx and from above the tracheal tube balloon every hour and from the trachea twice per 8 h shift. Samples were analyzed by ELISA for Pepsin A, as a marker for secretions of gastric origin. Esophageal pressure monitoring (as a measure of pleural pressure), which is an intrinsic ability of the PFT device, was also noted throughout the study – for future integration in mechanical ventilation strategies.

Results

The two groups were comparable with regard to demographics and duration of ventilation. There was a larger number of specimens positive for Pepsin A in the control group in the oropharynx (p < 0.0001) and above the ETT cuff (p = 0.0001), but not in the trachea (p = 0.0603), using the Wald Chi-squared test. However, when comparing mean concentrations of Pepsin at the three sites, there was a statistically higher concentration in the control group in the oropharynx, above the ETT and in the trachea, compared to the PFT group.

Conclusion

The PFT reduced the amount of GER in ventilated patients. A larger study is required to determine whether this translates to a reduction in VAP.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)

ACTRN12618000669291.