Intestinal pH? Miller-Abbott tube

[FLnurse2b16]

Does anyone know what the normal pH should be in the intestines?

For example if you were inserting an intestinal tube such as a Miller-Abott tube what would be the expected pH. I was also wondering if placement of Miller-Abbott tube is confirmed by the pH as well as an x-ray.

Thanks in advance!

P.S. - I was able to find that pH in the duodenum is 4-5 and in the jejunum and ileum its 6.5-7.5; so which one would I want to see when placing Miller-Abbott tube?

[VANurse2010]

I've never seen this treatment, but generally speaking if you're sticking something past the pylorus, you've going to want an Xray - which is going to be more definitive than ph testing.

[sailornurse]

I remember using this type of tube back in the late 1970s/earyl 1980s. This type of tube is very long is to decompress the bowel. I also remember using Cantor tubes for the same purpose, the Cantor tube is single lumen, Miller-Abbott is double lumen. I remember pharmacy used to send a small bottle of mercury (Yes they did) so you could fill the balloon with mercury, to weigh it down & aid in passing it thru the small intestine. Nowadays mercury is a "Hazardous Material".

These types of tubes you would advance them a few inches at a time, they were very long ?9 feet or so. I don't remember routinely doing X-rays to check placement but I suppose this could be done. These tubes were used for bowel obstructions.

I remember once a new grad who did not understand the purpose of the tube and instead of advancing the tube a few inches, she had been pulling back on it.

As to Ph of intestines, well small intestine is about 20 feet long, large intestines about 5 feet long on average, since they are more tube like, I am not sure trying to test Ph would be helpful. The old saying was, " the only sure way is X-ray". Testing Ph on salem-sump or Levin tubes is done to check placement in stomach, which anatomically is a pouch and gastric secretions collect in the funds.

FLnurse16, Are you a student?

[FLnurse2b16]

Okay thanks for the info. I understand the purpose of the tube and that it can take several hours for it to actually be in the correct position in the intestine bc it has to be move through peristalsis. For some reason my professor want us to know pH of intestines in relation to Miller Abbott tube. But I can't find any definitive answers anywhere.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Okay thanks for the info. I understand the purpose of the tube and that it can take several hours for it to actually be in the correct position in the intestine bc it has to be move through peristalsis. For some reason my professor want us to know pH of intestines in relation to Miller Abbott tube. But I can't find any definitive answers anywhere.

That's because you don't check pH for tubes other than gastric tubes as its not the standard of care. Aspirating could cause damage. You verify by X-ray and length of tube vs initial placement length.

[FLnurse2b16]

Thanks for the input. I still need to know the normal range for intestinal pH though (disregarding the tube).

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Try this:

https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Medical_Physiology/Gastrointestinal_Physiology/Secretions

[FLnurse2b16]

That's great. Thanks!