What is a PEG?
What Are the Medical Indications for a PEG?
What is the Medical Procedure For Placing a PEG Tube?
Is There Discomfort After the Procedure?
Will the Tube Fall Out Once It Is Placed?
What Does the PEG Tube Look Like On the Outside after Placement?
What Are the Complications of a PEG Tube?
How Do You Take Care of a PEG Tube?
Should the tube accidentally come out it must be replaced within twenty-four hours or the incision may begin to close and new PEG procedure may be required. If the tube falls out, a physician should be contacted as soon as possible. If the tube needs removal or replacement, it is usually wise to wait 6 or more weeks before removal.
Are there Alternatives to PEG?
What Exact Nutritional Formula is Placed Through the PEG Tube?
How is PEG Tube Used For Feeding?
The commercial tube feeding formula is administered at room temperature. The patient should be upright, no less than thirty degrees, to minimize the risk of regurgitation and potential aspiration (tube feeding getting into the lungs). The patient should be kept upright for thirty to sixty minutes after feeding. To prevent complications (abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, aspiration), tube feeding should be infused slowly.
The simplest method of infusing tube feeding through the PEG tube is called bolus feeding. Tube feed formula is placed within a large syringe and slowly administered to the patient through the plug cap on the end of the PEG feeding tube. In order to meet a patient’s nutritional needs, this may need to be repeated 4 to 6 times per day. Sometimes continuous feeding is preferable. With this method, a feeding pump is set up and connected to the PEG tube. The tube feed formula is placed in a large bag and attached to the pump. The tube feeding is continuously administered by the pump over 12-24 hours.