Introduction To The G-Tube
Feb 24 '02
The Bottom Line This article is designed to help you know the importance in a g-tube and good g-tube care.
Good nutrition will help to maintain health, growth, and healing. There are many different medical problems that are treated with gastrostomies. These problems would include those that prohibit a person from eating or from eating enough to meet their nutritional requirements. As is the case with my son. Following a surgery to repair a reflux problem, he was left unable to swallow.
A gastrostomy will deliver nourishment and liquids through a tube into the stomach. Formulas that are used for tube feeding may be commercially prepared or it can be food that is blenderized. Whatever the choice, it should be prescribed by the doctor in charge of care. For Brandon, that is pediasure with an occasional jar of baby food added in.
Brandon uses the Mic-key feeding tube. It has been inserted into his stomach through the abdominal wall. It has a small skin level gastrostomy tube that is made of silicone. This was not the first type of tube to be used on my son. but it has proven to be the best because of a latex allergy that he has.
My son is also able to enjoy a more normal and active lifestyle with his Mic-key because it lies flat against his abdomen. He can do what he wants and wear what he wants because he no longer had the long tube that hangs down from his stomach as the original one did. He feels more comfortable and I believe it to be much safer.
It is important that you clean the Mic-Key everyday. This is really quit easy. You must keep the tube and the skin around it clean and dry.
The following is a list of supplies that you will need to have handy before you start your cleaning:
* soap and water * cotton tip applicators * tissue * luer-lock syringes
The balloon of the Mic-key is what holds it in place. You will need to check how much saline that you have in the bulb at least once a week. This is quite easily done. You will need to attach your luer-lock syringe to the balloon port. You will then extract all the existing water while keeping the Mic-key in place. If there is less liquid than what your doctor originally prescribed, you will need to replace it. Distilled water or saline is a good choice for this.
When you are doing the daily g-tube care make sure that you rotate the Mic-key in a full circle. This will help to keep the balloon from adhering to the skin.
ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE TOUCHING THE G-TUBE!!
When I am doing Brandon's g-tube care or changing it out, I will always use sterile gloves.
It is always a good idea to make a habit of checking the skin around the tube after each feeding. This is to make sure that the skin is clean and dry and that you do not notice any leakage. If you have been told to use a dressing you will need to change it when it gets wet or dirty.
If your child is required to have a continuous feeding, you will need to flush the tube and the extension tubing at least three times a day.
This may seem like a lot of work or even overwhelming at first. But, trust me on this, soon it will become as much a part of you day as bathing or feeding your other children.
Answers to questions asked in comment section.
1.) Cathy
My son has gone through sever months of speech therapy to help him in his sensory work. When he could not take anything by mouth at all, we were told to have him suck on hard candy just to get the feel and the taste of something in his mouth. Without that they were afraid that he would loose the desire to eat at all.
When he started speech therapy they had to begin slow. It was like just feeling the food in his mouth would make him sick. We had to start with baby food consistency foods and in some cases were able to work our way up.
There are still many areas that are in need of work. Meats and dry foods are still very difficult and make him choke. Things like potato chips and popcorn may never be. But, who is to say because I never thought that we would get as far as we did now.
2.) Bonnie Just when I think I covered it all.
Let's start with the cost. It is very expensive and yes it was covered by Brandon's insurance. As it is a common practice when doing younger children who have reflux repair done I am sure that it would be covered by most insurance's.
The child who has this surgery is no longer able to vomit or burp and the use of the tube is virtually the only way to relieve pressure in the stomach.
Brandon gets monthly deliveries of new feeding tubes and supplies that are needed to maintain care. A typical feeding tube will last about two weeks depending on how much use it is getting and then will clog or calliopes. Brandon's Mic-key itself needs to be changed once a month. This is not typical, however. He has a high acid content in his stomach still. Most children will need to have theirs changed every two to three months.
Yes, there was a lot of homecare in the beginning. Both nurses and aides. Once we learned to take care of everything ourselves including how to change one out this was cut back a great deal. In fact, Brandon will soon be learning how to change his own.
The latex allergy was discovered through the use of gloves and the number of time his previous tube would just fall out.
I hope this answers some of the questions that you may have had. Keep asking and I will keep answering if I can.
Thanks
Debbie
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