The Degree and Duration of Pain Caused by Nasogastric Tube Insertion and Urinary Catheterization

Lee, Jae Hoon; Kwon, Oh Young; Lee, Jong Suk; Choi, Han Sung; Hong, Hoon Pyo; Kim, Myung Chun; Ko, Young Gwan

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine pain severity and duration caused by procedures [nasogastric tube insertion and urinary catheterization] that are frequently performed in the ER.
METHODS
The subjects (n=443) were patients who had experienced either nasogastric tube insertion or urinary catheterization in the ED between January 2008 and December 2008. The control group (n=351) consisted of those who visited the ED for acute tonsillitis or whiplash injury and were administered NSAIDs for pain control during the same period. After the procedures (nasogastric tube insertion and urinary catheterization) were done, the patients were directed to indicate the degree of pain that they experienced using a visual analog scale (VAS, 0 to 10 cm, with 10 indicationg the most pain).
RESULTS
The average displacements along the VAS were 61, 55, 47, and 42 mm for patient experiences at 30 minutes, 12 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours after nasogastric tube insertion; they were 54, 47, 41, and 38 mm after urinary catheterization. The degree of pain was comparable to that of the control group. Pain scores at 30 min and 12 hours after nasogastric tube insertion were significantly higher than scores for acute tonsillitis or whiplash injury but pain scores were equivalent or lower after 24 hours (p<0.05). Urinary catheterization led to significantly higher pain scores directly after insertion of the catheter compared with the control group, but, again, revealed equivalent or lower scores after 12 hours (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Pain scores observed up to 24 hours after nasogastric tube insertion or urinary catheterization are higher (within 12 hours) but equivalent (after 24 hours) to scores for ED patients not undergoing these procedures.