Gastric suction

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Gastric suction

Alternate Names: Gastric lavage; Stomach pumping

How Performed: A tube is placed via the nose or mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach. Sometimes a topical anesthetic may be applied to minimize irritation and gagging as the tube is being placed. After placement, stomach contents are removed (using suction) either immediately or after irrigating water through the tube.

How To Prepare: When gastric suction is performed in an emergent setting of an ingested overdose or poison, or in the evaluation of the vomiting of blood no preparation is needed. When it is done for the analysis of gastric acid, your physician may require you to fast overnight or stop certain medications.

How It Feels: You may feel a gagging sensation as the tube is passed.

Risks: There is a very small risk of the tube being accidentally placed into the airway (or lungs). There is also a small risk of aspirating gastric contents, perforation, and minor bleeding.

Why Performed: This test may be performed for several different reasons, such as:

To remove poisons, toxic substances, or overdosed medications from the stomach
To irrigate and clean the stomach prior to performing an upper endoscopy (EGD) in someone who has been vomiting blood
To collect stomach acid contents for further analysis
To provide relief and decompression in someone with intestinal obstruction

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