What the risks are:

Anytime a nasogastric tube is inserted down the throat, there is a small chance it will enter the windpippe. If this happens, your child may cough, gasp, and have trouble breathing until the tube is removed. There is also a small chance that some of the stomach contents may enter the lung.

Special considerations:

A preliminary test, called a TB smear, will be done first on the sample. If results are positive, medical treatment may be started right away. A negative TB smear result, however, does not rule out tuberculosis.

The final results of the gastric culture test may take several weeks. Your health care provider will decide whether to start treatment before the test results are known.