Pages

Sabtu, 01 Juni 2013

Different Methods of Enteral Feeding

When someone can't eat normally because of a medical condition, doctors sometimes use a feeding tube so the patient can meet basic nutritional needs. There are a few methods of enteral or tube feeding--through the nose, through the stomach and through the lower intestine.

Nasogastric Tube

    Nasogastric tubes are common for patients who need tube feeding in the short term. The doctor inserts a soft, flexible tube through one of the patient's nostrils, then pushes it gently down the back of the throat into the stomach or small intestine. The procedure may require mild sedation.

    Patients place liquid food into a special container, connect its tube to their feeding tube and control the speed and volume of the feeding by turning a special clamp. A typical feeding takes 45 minutes to an hour and is followed by a prescribed amount of water.

Gastrostomy Tube

    A gastronomy tube feeds directly into the stomach. The doctor threads it through the abdominal wall and into the stomach with the help of a lighted scope that is inserted through the patient's mouth. (The scope glows through the abdominal wall and helps the doctor pick the right spot to insert the tube.) The patient usually receives general anesthesia.

    According to the National Institutes of Health, patients likely to receive gastrostomy tubes include babies with birth defects of the mouth, food pipe or stomach; patients who cannot swallow; patients who cannot take enough food by mouth; and patients who aspirate (inhale food into the lungs) while eating. Like nasogastric tubes, gastrostomy tubes also can be used at home and can be hidden under clothing.

Jejunostomy Tube

    Jejunostomy tubes feed directly into the small intestine and are common for patients who have digestive trouble, cannot empty their stomach, inhale food into the lungs or have pancreatic disease. The doctor makes a small cut into the abdomen, grasps part of the small intestine called the jejunum, cuts into that and inserts the tube. The doctor then secures the tube with sutures.

    This procedure requires general anesthesia. Patients use a special pump for feedings and can do feedings at home, often with the help of a nurse.

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar