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Jellycat

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Lost a loved one
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My mum had her PEG placed about 5 months ago. For the last month & a half she has had recurring infection and pain at peg site. Over this time a couple of holes in the skin adjacent to the site have formed and will not close over. The holes ooze a fair bit. She has had 3 rounds of antibiotics but no joy with that. Hoping the hospital would help I took her back to the radiology dept where peg was inserted. But no joy. They will only deal with the tube itself & not with the skin around it (as if the 2 were not related!).

Has anyone else experienced this kind of skin breakdown? Can it be treated and if so how? And which medical discipline would treat (radiology talked of gastro enterology or infectious diseases or dermatology or surgery...!) Would be grateful for any experience on this as I don't know what to do next. Thanks.
 
Seems like none of you have had this problem.....our saga continues. Mum still has a hole adjacent to the peg entry site. The good news is it is no longer infected. Bad news is it still gives pain and bleeds a little.

Took her to a gastro enterologist who said it was a track or fistula-not such good news. She is scheduled for an ultrasound on Friday to find out where the track is leading to. Am hoping some treatment will be possible otherwise we are looking at removal of peg and insertion of nasal gastro tube while it heals. Trying not to think about that!
 
I really hope you can get some good answers soon! Sorry for the problems and that we can't be of more help.
 
Thanks Joel. I always had a suspicion my mum was one of a kind! Decided to post again on the issue 'cause it helps me and perhaps it might be something encountered by others in the future. Reading the forums helps me keep some perspective, especially when the going is tough.

All the best,
Avril
 
Hi, I know Brooksea has had problems with this issue. Send her a visitor message if she doesnt show up here to comment. Once you have 10 posts you can private message. HUGS Lori
 
Hi, I have Had my peg for about four months now. I still have a round circle under the peg. It is still sore. I have been to my reg dr here in pagosa. He took cultures no infection..he gave me an ointment to put on it . So I have been doing this night and morning. It is still there. I guess I will go back into my dr here and have another culture done..I am just living with it. Not real happy about it...Linda
 
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Avril,

I'm sorry your mum is having such problems!

I can only tell you of our experience with the PEG. My husband still has use of his legs and tries to do many things that he could before the ALS diagnosed, therefore the tube moves around constantly and causes granulation at the site. The tape we use to secure the tube to his abdomen also causes irritation to his skin. We are using Mupirocin ointment, after it was found he was infected. Also, we use silver nitrate sticks to burn off the granulation (every other day). The home health nurse we had told us irritation and skin breakdown can be caused by gastric juices oozing from the site. She recommended and gave us Skin-Prep wipes. They seem to help a lot in preventing irritation to the skin from the tape. She also said they would help with the oozing irritation.

Are they sure about the fistula? I guess you won't know til Friday!

Good luck to y'all!
 
Brooksea, my husband also developed granulation and we were going to the GP all the time having it cauterized with the silver nitrate sticks. No one told me I could do this at home. We found out, though, that his button was too small for him. It was changed from a 4.0 mm to a 4.5 mm and we haven't had any trouble with granulation since. I don't know if this will help anyone, but it did us.

Avril, I am so sorry about your mother and hope something can be done.
 
We don't tape it down. He has a boot size shoestring looped around the peg at the cap end and then around his neck like a necklace. It is under his shirt so you don't see it. We were using a (g-tube holder) but now that is summer the string is cooler.
 
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