A utilização de tiras reagentes na avaliação do pH gástrico no recém-nascido

Abstract

Introduction: The use of nasogastric/orogastric tubes is common in Neonatal Care. However, in 20-59% of the nasogastric/orogastric tube insertions in newborns and infants, the position of the tube is incorrect, which can lead to serious consequences, depending on the tip location (Rosengarten & Davies, 2021), so it is imperative that reliable methods of checking the gastric tube position are used.  Objective: Identify if the pH strips are the most adequate method to confirm the gastric tube position in newborns. Methodology: Literature review between 2017 and 2022. Results: All the reviewed articles refer to x-ray and pH strips as reliable and valid methods of confirming the nasogastric/orogastric tube position. It was ascertained that the pH strips can be used in preterm newborns as well as term newborns, with reliability, as early as 8 hours after birth, considering a correct nasogastric/orogastric tube position when the pH strip result is equal or less than 5.5. The feeding frequency, as well as the use of medication that suppresses the gastric acid have not been found to have significant influence in the pH result. Its use was considered a reliable method of confirming the nasogastric/orogastric tube position. Conclusion: Nurses should be active agents in the search for and production of recent knowledge that can bring added value to practice. Thus, it becomes important to use evidence-based practice when selecting the method of verification of the positioning of gastric tubes in newborns.