Does cooling Sengstaken-Blakemore tubes aid insertion? An evidence based approach.

Objective: To survey current clinical practice concerning the use of Sengstaken-Blakemore (SB) tubes and to determine whether cooling the tubes alters their stiffness.

Methods: A telephone questionnaire was conducted of gastroenterology registrars and ITU departments in the North Thames region. The current clinical practice for insertion of SB tubes and the basis for this practice were determined in each case.