Feeding Tube Surgery

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soonerwife

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It looks as if my PALS will be getting the feeding tube soon.

I am wondering what are the different types of tubes and is there different ones for different situations or conditions?

Also, is it normally out patient or will he be staying in the hospital?

Thanks in advance for your replies!
 
I just had mine put in two weeks ago. It is a G-tube and was done as outpatient surgery.. Surgery took about an hour, and 2 hours in recovery. Went home the same day with a good supply of Percocet. My stomach was very sore for 3 days, but the medication helped a great deal. Stitches holding the tube in place come out on Monday. Hope this helps. Bill
 
There are different types but the surgeon will usally decide on the first tube. It is most often a longer tube with a "bumper" inside the stomach rather than a balloon. Six weeks or so Iater when the stoma has healed and the tract through to the stomach is well established, you can ask to have it changed to another type or brand. Overnight stays are also up to the doctor. Any breathing problems during the procedure will mean a longer observation period or an overnight stay. So will a doctor who likes to be very cautious. The real question you need to be asking at this point is what procedure you want used to put the tube in. A PEG procedure remains the most common but the newer PRG or RIG is gaining popularity even though it is less widely available. Check my website to find out the differences as well as a lot of info on tube types and how to use and care for feeding tubes. ALS From Both Sides
 
It seemed like routine minor surgery to me.
 
Steve has not agreed to one yet so can't give you advice Soonerwife. I do want to let you know that I am thinking of you today.
 
Steve has not agreed to one yet so can't give you advice Soonerwife. I do want to let you know that I am thinking of you today.

Tell him not to wait too long ... it's one helluva lot better to have it and not need/use it than to need it and be too late.
 
So different here they keep you in for minimum of one night, they prefer two.

That way they are sure there are no post op complications with bleeding or leaking, which are most likely to happen in the first 24 hours. They also ensure that first flushing of water is all good.

Then they make sure you are all good with doing the feeds and that the pain is under control.

Anyhow, that aside - the longer tube is most common for insertion and then you can go for a button after 6 weeks as Diane says.

Beware that some PALS do have a lot of post procedural pain for anything up to 5 days and you want to have a good pain med regime agreed on before.

If there is a lot of pain the PALS is likely to breathe too shallow and this we know can lead to CO2 issues.

Usually it is a very simple procedure and the pain is manageable and only a day or two.

Getting this done as early as possible really is so important as you need to PREVENT losing weight.
 
I am in the midst of getting this all figured out. I have been putting off getting a feeding tube for almost 2 years now. The time has come to get serious about it.

Here is what I have found. Note that my breathing is pretty compromised with an FVC that is just under 30%. That affects what they are willing to do.

I was originally referred to a gastroenterologist who discussed a PEG (Percutaneous, Endoscopically Guided gtube. He said that normally it is an outpatient procedure, but that for me he would keep me overnight. I asked about a RIG, and he referred me to an interventional radiologist for a consultation. The level of anesthesia needed for a PEG was an area of concern.

The interventional radiologist told me that in the US it is most often called a PRG (Percutaneous, Radiologically Guided gtube) rather than a RIG. He explained that the PRG is preferred for me because of my compromised respiratory function. Much less sedation is required. He also said that it is typically an outpatient procedure, but would like to do me as an inpatient and keep me for the night.

There seem to be some advantages to having a PRG rather than a PEG:
1. Less sedation with a PRG
2. With a PRG, the tube will have a balloon in my stomach as opposed to a disk, so is quite a bit easier to swap out for a Mic Key when the healing is sufficient...probably after a month or so.
3. With a PEG, they can not be 100% sure about where the tube is relative to the stomach and other organs. With a PRG, they use a radio opaque dye to get a fluoroscope picture of the stomach so have a better idea of the positioning of things.
4. With the PRG they are able to secure the stomach to the abdomen around the tube. Those sutures will eventually dissolve, but having them in place reduces or eliminates the potential for leakage, which can be a potentially life-threatening complication.
5. The PRG seemed like a simpler procedure with less trauma.

I am not a medical professional and could have misunderstood some of the information that was provided. I am reporting what I think I have learned in my research and consultations.

Both of the doctors I met with are great and do many of the PEG and PRG procedures. I would feel comfortable with either of them. But, based on the information I have gathered I have decided to move forward with a PRG. I plan to get it right after our upcoming round of travel is wrapped up.

Steve
 
My PALS is scheduled for the PEG surgery Thursday morning. He had lost 18 lbs in the last 10 weeks... They are planning to use propofal or another drug that doesn't last very long to do the procedure. UGH! It makes me very nervous because of his compromised pulmonary function.
 
Propofol was used on me. But my pft's were still good.
 
It was used for steve as well...his pfts werent good
 
Soonerwife, you are both in my thoughts. Let everyone know if there is anything I can do or if you just need a shoulder.
 
Sooner,
Is he being done in radiology? That is considered safer for PALS unless they have certain pre-existing gastro problems. If he has BiPAP, he should be able to use it during the procedure.
 
He is not having it done in radiology. It is being done in endoscopy. He does have the BiPAP but doesn't use it.

Thanks for the info everyone! I will be a nervous wreck until all is well! UGH!
 
When I had mine done 19 days ago, they gave me general anesthesia and an epidural. They gave me oxygen and I did not use a BiPAP. My FVC is about 50%. I know the surgeon and anetesiologist discussed it at length immediately before the procedure. The surgeon has done hundreds of feeding tube surgeries and about 30-40 on PALS.
 
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