A feeding tube is a medical device used to provide nutrition to patients who cannot eat by mouth. These patients usually have trouble swallowing safely, or patient needs supplemental feeding. People with cancer, dementia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), protein-energy malnourished, poor appetite for a long time, liver failure, a head or neck disorder can benefit from having a feeding tube. There are different types of feeding tubes including ones that go through the nose, stomach, or intestines. The most common is the gastrostomy tube – they are of two kinds PEG-Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy tube and Gastric tube and is inserted through the abdomen to deliver nutrition directly to the stomach.
Feeding tubes at times can get clogged, dislodged or broken with wear and tear. If the tube falls out of place, the hole can begin to close due to shifting of tissues over it. This occurs due to inadequate hydration of the patient. To prevent closure, the tube that is dislodged must be placed back in stoma or a Foley catheter should be placed; however, the patient must not be fed or hydrated through this tube now. You must call the specialist to replace the feeding tube.
Other issues that may happen with feeding tubes are that they may have leakage from the stoma site causing maceration, infection around the stoma site and build up of hyper-granulation tissue that bleeds often.
Patients with feeding tubes require continued maintenance and care. Wound Care Surgeons can do routine maintenance or replacement of your feeding tube and prevent urgent situations similar to described above. Our specialists can come to your bedside, making it convenient for your busy schedule or convenience for the immobile patient, at the same time lowering the cost and reducing the revisits to the ER or outpatient centers.
Wound Care Surgeons accepts all types of insurances including Medicare, HMO, PPO, and IPAs.