Reports Intracranial insertion of a nasogastric tube following septoplasty: Case report and literature review

Background: Inadvertent intracranial nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion is a well-documented, though rare, event in the literature commonly associated with basal skull fracture and maxillofacial trauma. With this report we hope to once again draw attention to the serious dangers that can be associated with NGT placement. Case description: We report a case of intracranial NGT insertion in a patient following routine septoplasty. Removal of the NGT occurred under direct CT guidance with an operating room and angiography suite at the ready in the event of complication. The patient ultimately expired. Conclusions: Intracranial NGT insertion is a rare and potentially devastating complication which is usually seen in the setting of craniofacial trauma. There is no consensus as to the best approach for removal of the NGT from the intracranial space.