TUBES LINES AND CATHETERS
PATIENT CARE, SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
& PATIENT CARE, COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
VERIFIED 2026.
What are tubes used for? - ANS -Access organs and surgical sites
-fluid or medication administration
-decompression
-drain fluids
What is decompression? - ANS removal of gas and draining of secretions by suction
What is a catheter/line? - ANS - Flexible hollow tube
- Inserted to a vessel or cavity of the body
What are catheters used for? - ANS - Install or drain fluids
- Monitors various types of information
- Visualize the vessel or cavity
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is a Nasogastric (NG) tube?
Nasoenteric/Nasoenteral (NE) Tubes - ANS - Tube inserted through nasopharynx into
stomach
What is a Nasoenteric/Nasoenteral (NE) Tube? - ANS - Allowed to pass into duodenum and
small intestine via peristalsis
What is an Orogastric (OG) tube?
Oroenteric/Oroenteral (OE) Tubes - ANS - Tube inserted through the mouth into stomach
What are Oroenteric/Oroenteral (OE) Tubes? - ANS - Allowed to pass into duodenum and
small intestine via peristalsis
What are NG/NE or OG/OE Tubes used for? - ANS Therapeutic or diagnostic purpose
Hollow lumen used for:
-Feeding for people who cannot eat regularly
-Decompression or draining
-Radiographic examination
-Medication administration
What are Common NG Tubes? - ANS -Dobbhoff
-Levin
-Salem-Sump
What are the characteristics of a Dobbhoff? - ANS - small, single lumen (one entrance hole)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,- flexible
- weighted (so it can go down easier w/ the help of gravity
What are Dobbhoff used for? - ANS -for tube feedings
What are the characteristics of a Levin tube? - ANS - Single lumen
- Holes near tip
What is a Levin tube used for? - ANS -Gastric decompression
-Removal of gas and secretions
What are the characteristics of a Salem-Sump tube? - ANS - Radiopaque
-Double lumen
-Drain gastric contents AND suction
-Functions as air vent
-Drains gastric content
What is the function of a Salem-Sump tube? - ANS -Drain gastric contents AND suction
-Functions as air vent
-Drains gastric content
What are the characteristics of Common Nasoenteric Tubes? - ANS - Also called nasoenteral
and nasointestinal tubes
- Weighted ends and peristalsis advance the tubes into the intestines
What are the Types oF NE Tubes? - ANS - Cantor
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, - Harris
- Miller-Abbott
What is a Cantor tube? - ANS - Long, plastic
- Weighted end filled with mercury (not used today)
- Single lumen
- Used to help relieve small bowel obstructions
What is a Harris tube? - ANS - Long, plastic
- Weighted end (mercury) to act as food so body can help it go through with peristalsis
- Carried through digestive tract
- Single lumen
- not used anymore bc of mercury
What is a Harris tube used for? - ANS Used for gastric and intestinal decompression
What is a Miller-Abbott tube? - ANS - Long, very thin plastic
- Radiopaque
- Double lumen
- Weighted balloon simulates bolus of food, promotes peristalsis
- Advances tube into small intestine and terminates in small intestine
- Common
How are Tubes Handle? - ANS - Avoiding disturbing the tube
-Pay close attention to potential artifacts when imaging
- Safety pins may be attached to tube
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
PATIENT CARE, SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
& PATIENT CARE, COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
VERIFIED 2026.
What are tubes used for? - ANS -Access organs and surgical sites
-fluid or medication administration
-decompression
-drain fluids
What is decompression? - ANS removal of gas and draining of secretions by suction
What is a catheter/line? - ANS - Flexible hollow tube
- Inserted to a vessel or cavity of the body
What are catheters used for? - ANS - Install or drain fluids
- Monitors various types of information
- Visualize the vessel or cavity
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is a Nasogastric (NG) tube?
Nasoenteric/Nasoenteral (NE) Tubes - ANS - Tube inserted through nasopharynx into
stomach
What is a Nasoenteric/Nasoenteral (NE) Tube? - ANS - Allowed to pass into duodenum and
small intestine via peristalsis
What is an Orogastric (OG) tube?
Oroenteric/Oroenteral (OE) Tubes - ANS - Tube inserted through the mouth into stomach
What are Oroenteric/Oroenteral (OE) Tubes? - ANS - Allowed to pass into duodenum and
small intestine via peristalsis
What are NG/NE or OG/OE Tubes used for? - ANS Therapeutic or diagnostic purpose
Hollow lumen used for:
-Feeding for people who cannot eat regularly
-Decompression or draining
-Radiographic examination
-Medication administration
What are Common NG Tubes? - ANS -Dobbhoff
-Levin
-Salem-Sump
What are the characteristics of a Dobbhoff? - ANS - small, single lumen (one entrance hole)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,- flexible
- weighted (so it can go down easier w/ the help of gravity
What are Dobbhoff used for? - ANS -for tube feedings
What are the characteristics of a Levin tube? - ANS - Single lumen
- Holes near tip
What is a Levin tube used for? - ANS -Gastric decompression
-Removal of gas and secretions
What are the characteristics of a Salem-Sump tube? - ANS - Radiopaque
-Double lumen
-Drain gastric contents AND suction
-Functions as air vent
-Drains gastric content
What is the function of a Salem-Sump tube? - ANS -Drain gastric contents AND suction
-Functions as air vent
-Drains gastric content
What are the characteristics of Common Nasoenteric Tubes? - ANS - Also called nasoenteral
and nasointestinal tubes
- Weighted ends and peristalsis advance the tubes into the intestines
What are the Types oF NE Tubes? - ANS - Cantor
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, - Harris
- Miller-Abbott
What is a Cantor tube? - ANS - Long, plastic
- Weighted end filled with mercury (not used today)
- Single lumen
- Used to help relieve small bowel obstructions
What is a Harris tube? - ANS - Long, plastic
- Weighted end (mercury) to act as food so body can help it go through with peristalsis
- Carried through digestive tract
- Single lumen
- not used anymore bc of mercury
What is a Harris tube used for? - ANS Used for gastric and intestinal decompression
What is a Miller-Abbott tube? - ANS - Long, very thin plastic
- Radiopaque
- Double lumen
- Weighted balloon simulates bolus of food, promotes peristalsis
- Advances tube into small intestine and terminates in small intestine
- Common
How are Tubes Handle? - ANS - Avoiding disturbing the tube
-Pay close attention to potential artifacts when imaging
- Safety pins may be attached to tube
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
