Safely Confirm NG/OG Tube Placement with RightSpotpH® Indicators
Now available with ENFit Connectors
The RightSpotpH® Indicator is the only FDA-cleared and CLIA-waived product specifically designed to confirm NG/OG tube placement by measuring gastric acidity through pH testing.
This fully closed system safeguards both clinicians and patients from exposure to aspirate and is indicated for use in neonates, pediatrics, and adults. Utilizing the RightSpotpH® Indicator ensures accurate and reliable confirmation of NG/OG tube placement, enhancing patient safety and care.
The RightSpotpH® Indicator is now available with ENFit Connectors so adapters are no longer necessary.
*ENFit is a registered trademark of GEDSA.
How does your medical practice safely & accurately confirm NG/OG tube placement for patients?
The most common methods of confirming NG/OG tube placement today are inaccurate, unsanitary, and accident prone. By comparison, the RightSpotpH® Indicator provides a more accurate and complete solution for patients in the ICU that can help prevent NG/OG tube complications without exposing the patient to x-rays or using outdated, ineffective, and potentially dangerous practices like auscultation.
Pediatric and neonatal patients are especially vulnerable to harm caused by incorrect NG/OG tube placement. Roughly 25% of all hospitalized children have an NG/OG tube, and of those children, 60% are being cared for in the NICU. Studies report that up to 56% of feeding tubes placed in these patients do not end up in their intended location–RightBio Metrics wishes to change that.
Our Philosophy is Simple: Lose the Whoosh
RightBio Metrics is committed to improving patient outcomes and enhancing patient safety. Our mission is to eliminate harm caused by misplaced, displaced, or dislodged NG/OG tubes, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia and even death in some cases.
pH First
Utilizing pH testing as the initial method to confirm NG/OG tube placement is quick, efficient, and cost-effective. By measuring gastric acidity, healthcare professionals can accurately determine tube positioning, ensuring proper administration of nutrition or medication to the patient.
X-ray When Appropriate
In cases where pH testing is inconclusive or additional confirmation is necessary, X-ray can be employed as a secondary method. It provides a clear visual representation of the tube’s location, minimizing the risk of complications associated with misplaced tubes.
Auscultate Never
Auscultation, also known as the “whoosh test,” is a high-risk method of verifying NG/OG tube placement that has been linked to serious complications and even fatalities. Due to its unreliable nature and potential hazards, leading healthcare organizations advise against this method.
Browse Our Gastric Acidity Verification Solutions
NICU Solutions
Using pH is the emerging US/Global Standard for confirming gastric NG/OG tube placement in the NICU.
Emergency Department Solutions
The RightSpotpH® Indicator is faster and much less expensive than x-ray, and results are received immediately without exposure to radiation.
ICU/PICU Solutions
The RightSpotpH® Indicator offers immediate validation of gastric acidity when confirming NG/OG tube placement, without exposure to x-ray.
Awards & Recognition
RightBio Metrics Wins A First Place Patient Safety Innovation Award for the RightSpotpH® Indicator
RightBio Metrics was honored with a first place Patient Safety Innovation Award. Award recipients were announced on February 23rd in London, England during the 6th Annual World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation received 55 submissions from 6 countries and awarded RightBio Metrics first place based on the RightSpotpH® Indicator’s ability to help improve patient safety.
Recipient of a Vizient Innovative Product Contract
Dr. Paul Gilbert, MD
Our Mission: Eliminate any harm caused by misplaced NG/OG tubes.
2018 Global Patient Safety Movement Initiative:
Safe NG/OG Tube Placement
Using evidence-based technology to confirm NG/OG tube placement is important.
Validating correct NG tube placement with pH is the standard of care in the UK and is emerging as such in the United States.
- Published research states that up to 56% of blindly placed NG tubes intended for the stomach do not end in the stomach and their misplacement can contribute to morbidity and mortality (Quandt. J, Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009)
- Pediatric/NICU patients are most vulnerable to misplacement because their stomach and lungs are in close proximity
Currently, more than 70% of U.S. hospitals still use auscultation to confirm NG tube placement.
- No clinical evidence supports this method
- Nursing and Patient Safety Organizations are calling for the immediate discontinuation of auscultation, including the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), and the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA)
Emerging U.S. and Global Clinical Practice based on published studies will be to use pH to confirm NG tube placement
RightSpotpH® vs. pH Paper
Why RightSpotpH® vs. pH paper?
Regulatory Guidelines the RightSpotpH® addresses:
FDA/CLIA
- RightSpotpH® Indicators are the only pH products FDA-Cleared and CLIA-waived to assist in getting a pH reading of aspirate to help clinicians safely place NG/OG tubes in the stomach.
OSHA
- RightSpotpH® indicators do not expose the clinician to bodily fluids therefore do not require health care workers to use protective wear.
Laboratory Accreditation
- RightSpotpH® makes it easier for your Point of Care/Laboratory to be compliant
- RightSpot pH® is CLIA-waived
- RightSpot pH® does not have any regular quality control requirements
Case Study
NICU Nurse Compares RightSpotpH® to pH Paper
The attached photo shows a test I performed on a patient with continuous feeds. The patient vomited and pushed his OG tube out so a new tube had to be placed.
The tube was placed and pH was taken using the RightSpotpH® Indicator on 10 mL BD syringe. The pH indicator immediately turned to a gold color closely matching that of 4.5 or less. I pulled several mL’s through the indicator and removed it to place drops on pH paper. pH paper Lot # 208515 Exp 3/30/18 initially had zero color change. I took the attached photo several minutes later after finishing securing the OG tube and the paper still had little to no change. The residual I pulled from the patient’s stomach was tan/white partially digested formula.
The conclusion from the initial use of the RightSpotpH® Indicator is that it is a much more accurate and reliable way to test pH. Without this indicator I would have had to rely on other means to identify placement of this OG tube.
I will continue to seek other opportunities to further evaluate this product.
