Language
English
Publication Date
7-1-2025
Journal
Cureus
DOI
10.7759/cureus.89085
PMID
40896069
PMCID
PMC12396971
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
7-30-2025
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Inadvertent intracranial nasogastric tube placement is a recognized risk following skull base fracture, but prior skull base surgery also poses a significant and underrecognized risk for this potentially fatal complication. We report the case of a 75-year-old female admitted with Clostridioides difficile colitis, six months after endoscopic endonasal resection of a pituitary macroadenoma. A systematic review identified 10 prior cases of intracranial tube placement following skull base or sinonasal surgery, including nasotracheal and feeding tube insertions. Literature suggests that using small-bore flexible tubes and preserving anatomical barriers, such as the position of the middle turbinate and intact bony structures like the sphenoid sinus roof, may reduce risk. We aim to characterize the risk of iatrogenic intracranial tube placement through a systematic review and a representative case.
Keywords
feeding tube complications, intracranial dobhoff tube, intracranial feeding tube, intracranial nasogastric tube, skull base surgery, transsphenoidal surgery complications
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Wolter, Gabrielle; Naqvi, Zain U; Jalali, Ali; et al., "Intracranial Injury Following Nasogastric Tube Placement After Skull Base Surgery: A Case Report and Systematic Review" (2025). Faculty and Staff Publications. 5333.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/5333