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MedTerms Medical Dictionary |
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Nasogastric tube: A nasogastric tube is one that is passed through the nose (via the nasopharynx and esophagus) down into the stomach. A nasogastric tube is a flexible tube made of rubber or plastic and has bidirectional potential. It can be used to remove the contents of the stomach including air (to decompress the stomach) and small solid objects and fluid (e.g., to evacuate poison from the stomach). A nasogastric tube can also be used to instill substances into the stomach and so may be used to place nutrients directly into the stomach when a patient cannot eat by mouth. The word "nasogastric" is a hybrid -- part Latin, part Greek. "Naso-" is a prefix that has to do with the nose and comes from the Latin "nasus" for nose or snout. "Gastric" comes from the Greek "gaster" meaning the paunch or belly. The term "nasogastric" was coined in 1942. |
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