Efficacy of Topical Anesthetics in Nasogastric Tube Insertion

Administration and Efficacy

• Topical anesthetics require a wait time of 5-10 minutes to achieve adequate anesthesia, as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 1
• Patients should be warned of self-limiting side effects of intravascular lidocaine, such as numbness of the tongue or tinnitus, as reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 1