A feeding tube is a medical machine used to feed a person who is unable to eat or drink.
A person may need a feeding tube due todifficulty swallowing, an eating disorder, or other feeding issues.
Feeding tubes may be needed for a short-term concern or a more permanent basis.
Illustration by Tara Anand for Verywell Health
These tubes are placed using minimally invasive surgery and used for as long as the individual requires enteral nutrition.
It is safer and healthier for a person to receive food and fluids in the stomach for normal digestion.
Trouble swallowing can cause a person to choke on food and fluids.
This can lead to serious illness, including aspirationpneumonia.
Some people may be too sick to swallow.
Even fully alert people may lose the ability to swallow.
A disease likeoral cancermay make a feeding tube necessary.
Conditions That May Require a Feeding Tube
Feeding tubes can be used for different reasons.
They can include short-term uses, such as when illness or injury leaves them unable to swallow safely.
Deciding on a feeding tube for a loved one can be challenging.
The decision is easier when you receive a thorough assessment of the benefits and risks for your loved one.
Types of Feeding Tubes
Feeding tubes are used by people of all ages.
Feeding tubes are often described by where they are placed and the key in of hardware used.
Temporary feeding tubes can be placed either bedside or in the operating room.
Permanent feeding tubes will require surgery.
Placing Temporary Tubes
AnNG tubecan be placed while the person is awake.
The tube is lubricated, inserted into the nostril, and guided down the esophagus into the stomach.
The healthcare provider will then check to check that the tube is placed in the stomach.
AnOG tubeis typically placed underanesthesia.
The feeding tube is threaded through the tube guide until it reaches the stomach.
For aG tube, the endoscope is threaded from the mouth into the stomach.
The incision, about 1/2-inch long, is known as a stoma.
The G tube is then passed through it and secured in place.
A J tube sits lower on the abdomen than the G tube.
AG-J tubeis placed similarly to a G tube, with one incision over the stomach.
A G-J tube has multiple ports.
Buttons are more commonly used for G tubes, while danglers are more common for J and G-J tubes.
A feeding tube placement procedure takes 30 to 45 minutes and usually requires an overnight hospital stay.
The abdomen will be sore for a few weeks following tube placement until the stoma heals.
Permanent feeding tubes will need to be changed periodically.
Buttons changes are typically recommended every three to six months.
Danglers need to be changed less frequently and are commonly recommended every 12 months.
Temporary Feeding Tube Removal
Its a simple and quick procedure to remove a temporary feeding tube.
Any irritation to the mouth, throat, and nose is typically minimal.
A syringe is used to empty the tube of food and fluids.
It then takes a matter of seconds to withdraw the tube and verify it has been done safely.
The withdrawal process is similar to a tube change, without replacing the tube.
The stoma will leak until it heals completely.
Keep the area covered to protect clothing and bedding.
Change the dressing frequently and wash the skin with gentle soap and water to prevent irritation.
Do not submerge the stoma underwater until it is fully closed.
Once the stoma stops leaking, you no longer need to keep it covered.
The need for the tube might be temporary or permanent due to a chronic condition.
The kind of tube will depend on the condition and how long its needed.
Short-term tubes, like the NG and OG, should come out in a few weeks.
Lord LM.Enteral access devices: types, function, care, and challenges.Nutr Clin Pract.
2014;62(8):1590-1593. doi:10.1111/jgs.12924
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Nasogastric feeding tube.
2018;28(2):225231. doi:10.4103/ijri.IJRI_393_17
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Gastrostomy feeding tube - bolus.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.How to use the gravity method with your feeding tube.
Nemours Foundation.Nasogastric tube (NG tube).
Nemours Foundation.Gastrostomy tube (G-tube).
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Gastronomy tubes (G tubes).
Cha BH, Park MJ, Baeg JY, et al.How often should percutaneous gastrostomy feeding tubes be replaced?
A single-institute retrospective study.BMJ Open Gastroenterol.
2022;9(1):e000881.
doi:10.1136/bmjgast-2022-000881
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.Understanding percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).
