Effectiveness of Lidocaine nasal drops versus placebo drops for reducing the discomfort of nasogastric tube insertion: a randomized controlled trial study.

PURPOSE: Nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion can be painful and distressing for the patient. Lidocaine nasal drops might be effective as a local anesthetic agent before the procedure. This study aimed to compare the effects of Lidocaine nasal drops versus placebo drops for reducing the discomfort of this procedure. METHODS: Patients indicated for NGT insertion were categorized into two groups randomly. The Lidocaine group had 2% Lidocaine instilled nasally 3 min before the procedure and the control group had normal saline drops instilled. We compared the pain scores (using a visual analog scale) and complications between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients who required NGT insertion between September, 2021 and August, 2022 were enrolled in this study. The pain score of the Lidocaine nasal drops group was 1.41 ± 0.50 (range 1-2) and that of the control group was 4.54 ± 1.03 (range 3-7) (p < 0.01). The duration of the procedure in the Lidocaine and control groups was 1.52 ± 0.76 min and 3.38 ± 1.36 min, respectively (p < 0.01). The insertion was completed successfully within the first attempt in 98% of the Lidocaine group patients, whereas two or three attempts were needed in the control group. The incidence of complications such as vomiting, coughing, difficult breathing, and aspiration was lower in the Lidocaine group than in the control group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Instilling Lidocaine nasal drops before NGT insertion alleviated discomfort and reduced procedure-associated complications.