This animated video provides an overview of enteral feeding topics for patients. The ‘New to Enteral Feeding’ video series was created to help patients, families and caregivers better understand important enteral feeding topics and to support them on their journey.
The new to enteral feeding video series is presented by Cardinal Health to help patients families and caregivers better understand enteral feeding. This is the third video in the series and will provide an overview of some long term enteral feeding topics. Long term enteral feeding often refers to individuals requiring tube feeding longer than a few weeks. Some patients will begin with short term enteral feeding and then transition to a long term approach. While others may receive long term enteral feeding from the beginning depending on their medical situation. Some patients may transition off long term enteral feeding. Whereas others may receive long term enteral feeding for a lifetime. Long term feeding tubes are inserted directly through the abdomen into the patient's stomach or small intestine. They can be placed using a variety of procedures. Once a long term feeding tube is placed, most patients can manage their long term feeding with independence or a little bit of assistance. Individuals requiring long term enteral nutrition often rely on these types of tubes in long term care centers, skilled nursing facilities and in the home. But they may also be used with any ambulatory or non ambulatory patients as Well, now let's review some of the various tube options available for long term feeding. A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or PE G procedure is a small surgery that places a feeding tube for the first time through a patient's abdominal wall and into the stomach. The initial pe G tube stays in place and is used for feeding for several weeks or months until the newly formed opening called the stoma heals. Once the stoma heals, the pe G tube can be replaced. The first type of replacement tube is called a tradition gastrostomy tube or G tube. A G tube looks very similar to the initial pe G tube. It is often held into place in the stomach by a retention balloon that is inflated after placement. Another common replacement tube is called a skin level device, also known as low profile devices or simply buttons. Low profile devices are a type of G tube, but they are considered more discreet since they lay flat against the abdomen and can be easier to conceal under clothing than a traditional G tube. Low profile devices may be more ideal for active patients, infants, small Children or patients who may be more prone to pulling or tugging at their tube. Skin level devices may also have a raised feet construction which allows air flow between the device and the skin. This may help to promote a healthy stoma site when a skin level device or any other long term enteral feeding tube is in place. Many patients can attend school or work and participate in normal daily activities similar to pe G procedures and tubes. Percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy or PE J tube. And a jejunostomy tube are used in instances where a tube cannot be placed into the stomach. These tubes are placed like G tubes are, but instead of being placed in the stomach, they are inserted into the jejunum J tubes are designed for those individuals needing enteral nutrition who are not able to either tolerate feedings into the stomach or have a medical condition that prevents the safe delivery of enteral nutrition into the stomach. Some G tubes and J tubes may require additional extended tubing called extension set which connects the long term feeding tube to an enteral delivery device like a syringe or feeding pump. So a patient can receive their nutrition. Since both G tubes and J tubes are placed using different methods. A health care provider will determine the best method based on the patient's medical history and condition. The provider can advise about ongoing maintenance and care, monitoring of possible complications or tube replacement or removal as needed to learn more about enteral feeding including information about general topics, short term feeding and delivery devices. Check out our other videos in the New to Enteral Feeding series.
