Knotting together of gastric and tracheal tubes inserted under general anesthesia: A CARE-compliant case report

Gastric tube implantation is a routine part of preoperative preparation. Indwelling gastric tubes in patients under general anesthesia maintain gastrointestinal decompression and prevent gastrointestinal expansion. PATIENT CONCERNS: Gastric tube insertion can be associated with many complications, of which gastric tube knotting is a rare and often overlooked complication. DIAGNOSES: Knotting together of gastric and tracheal tubes. INTERVENTIONS: During the operation, the gastric tube was explored by endoscope and hand. LESSONS: Rare complications of knotted gastric and endotracheal tubes are identified and treated promptly. CONCLUSION: We recommend that the gastric tube be intubated first before insertion of the endotracheal tube, and visualization tools should be used in time if the insertion of the gastric tube is unsuccessful.