Fundamentals of Nursing Q 7
Which of the following is not true regarding the types of a nasogastric tube?
A. Cantor tube is a single-lumen long tube with a small inflatable bag at the distal end.
B. Miller-Abbott tube is a long double-lumen used to drain and decompress the small intestine.
C. Levin tube is a double-lumen nasogastric tube with an air vent.
D. Sengstaken-Blakemore tube is a three-lumen tube.
Correct Answer: C. Levin tube is a double-lumen nasogastric tube with an air vent.
A Levin tube is a single lumen nasogastric tube while a Salem sump tube is a double-lumen nasogastric tube with an air vent. The Levin tube is used primarily for long-continued gastric drainage and for gavage feeding. It is also used for diagnostic purposes. Its advantages are that it can be inserted either nasally or orally and that it is firm enough to be passed into an unconscious patient but flexible enough so there is little danger of producing injury.
Option A: The Cantor Tub is a 10-foot long, single-lumen tube used for intestinal decompression. The Cantor tube has a mercury-weighted rubber tab attached to its perforated tip to help carry the tube through the stomach and intestine. The mercury is placed in the bag with a syringe and needle before the tube is inserted nasally by the doctor.
Option B: The Miller-Abbott tube is a 10-foot long double-lumen tube that is equipped with a small balloon near the metal tip at the distal end of the tube. One lumen is used for aspiration and irrigation; the other is used for inflating the balloon. Air, water, or mercury (4 to 5 ml) accomplishes inflation. This intestinal tube is used for small bowel suction. The two openings are independent of each other and are clearly marked.
Option D: Also referred to as a Blakemore tube, this tube is a three-lumen, esophageal-gastric balloon tube that is used in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices. One lumen is used to inflate the esophageal balloon, one lumen is used to inflate the gastric balloon, and the third lumen is used for decompression and irrigation of the stomach.