The role of nasogastric tube in decompression after elective colon and rectum surgery: a meta-analysis.

Summary: For years, doctors routinely placed nasogastric tubes (NGTs)—tubes running from the nose to the stomach—after colon and rectal surgeries, believing it helped patients recover faster. However, a new analysis of over 1,400 patients challenges this tradition. While the tubes did reduce vomiting, they didn't help the gut start working any sooner. Worse, they significantly increased the risk of sore throats and lung infections. The verdict is clear: routinely using these tubes does more harm than good and should be avoided for these elective surgeries.