This randomised trial to assess risks associated with returning or discarding gastric residual volume (GRV) to tube-fed patients is similar to one reported in 2000 by Booker and colleagues. Although the current study had a larger sample size, neither study was able to provide definitive recommendations for practice.

The investigators randomised 125 critically ill adult patients to a ‘return’ or ‘discard’ group. The return group had up to 250 ml of gastric fluid returned to the stomach at each 6-hourly GRV measurement. Although not explicitly stated by the investigators, it appears that no gastric fluid was …