Preschooler with superior mesenteric artery syndrome who had a feeding tube placed into the third part of the duodenum 1 day ago that is now not working. AXR (not available) showed the tip had migrated into the right upper quadrant of the abdomen

Gastrointestinal
US of feeding tube tip in main portal vein
Transverse US of the liver shows the echogenic tip of a feeding tube to be in the main portal vein in the center of the image. Note the posterior shadowing from the tip extending inferiorly from it.

The diagnosis was feeding tube malfunction due to migration of the feeding tube tip out of the duodenum into the main portal vein. In the operating room the feeding tube was seen to have eroded into the superior mesenteric vein and then into the main portal vein and it was removed without complication.

Published