Photon Imaging for Nasogastric Tube Location
Prevention of misplacement of nasogastric tubes in patients
The PID is a prototype medical device. It utilises an imaging implementation technique known as time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) to provide a healthcare practitioner with guidance in the placement of Nasogastric Tubes (NGTs). A light-emitting fibre, placed inside a NGT within a patient’s body, will emit photons. A tiny fraction of these photons will emerge from the body with a near line-of-sight / direct path. The PID utilises a highly-sensitive detector positioned outwith the patient to differentiate these early arriving photons from those scattered by tissue (and that therefore arrive at the detector later). The PID is able to use these early arriving photons to calculate and subsequently visualise the location of the light source within the patient. This study will assess if the PID can detect the light being emitted in order to be able to confirm placement of NGT tip. The device will be used in healthy volunteers and in patients who are having a NGT for medical reasons.
All participants inclusion: 1. Adults aged 16 to 75 years inclusive on the day of enrolment 2. Has capacity to provide written, informed consent 3. Deemed suitable for all study procedures by clinical member of the research team 4. Complies with co-enrolment criteria Healthy volunteers specific inclusion: 1. In good general health Patient specific inclusion: 1. NG tube required as part of clinical care
Healthy Volunteer Exclusion: 1. Previous intolerance of NG tube insertion 2. Recent mid face trauma 3. Recent nasal surgery 4. Recent pharyngeal surgery 5. Recent laryngeal surgery 6. Currently prescribed medication which causes therapeutic anticoagulation 7. History of bleeding diathesis 8. History of cirrhosis 9. Stigmata of chronic liver disease 10. Known oesophageal varices 11. History of dysphagia 12. Women (of childbearing potential*) who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding 13. Currently detained under the Mental Health Act 14. Any clinically significant abnormal finding, disease or disorder which may significantly increase the risk to the volunteer because of participation in the study, affect the ability of the volunteer to participate in the study or impair interpretation of the study data Patients Exclusion: 1. Women (of childbearing potential*) who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding 2. Treated in isolation for infection control purposes 3. Any clinically significant abnormal finding on clinical examination or screening investigations 4. Currently detained under the Mental Health Act