I have investigated this quite a bit as I draw closer to getting my feeding tube. I am not a medical professional, but think I have a pretty good understanding of this stuff by now.
There are two ways to place a feeding tube. One, called a PEG (for something like Percutaneous Endoscopic G tube), is placed via an endoscope. To have this done you need to be sedated, likely with general anesthesia.
I have been told that with my low FVC that if I go under general anesthesia I stand an increased risk of waking up requiring a trach and a vent for the rest of my life.
The other way to place a feeding tube goes by different names depending on what part of the world you are in. The names I have heard are RIG and PRG. RIG is used in a lot of the rest of the world and stands for something like Radioscopically Inserted Gtube. PRG is the name used in most of the US and stands for something like Percutaneous Radioscopically guide Gtube.
The PRG is placed by an interventional radiologist and is done with light sedation.
With a PEG, my doctor says that I would get a feeding tube with a "rubber bumper" on the inside of my stomach. This makes changing the tube problematic because the rubber bumper apparently has to be pulled through the abdominal wall to replace the tube.
With a PRG, there would be an inflatable balloon (filled with water) inside my stomach. Switching out the tube is nearly trivial. Deflate the balloon, pull out the old feeding tube, insert the new feeding tube, and then inflate the balloon on the new feeding tube.
My doctor says I must start with a standard tube. After a few weeks I can change to another style if I want to. I want to change to a Mickey or Mini port as soon as I can.
My god daughter uses a feeding tube and I have become familiar with how convenient the Mickey and Mini are. My friend changes his daughter's feeding tube himself at home and has posted youtube videos of doing it. It seems very simple.
With my low FVC (23%), the doctors have been very, very concerned about doing a PEG procedure. The interventional radiologist is not concerned about doing a PRG procedure with that FVC (and based on a pretty thorough examination).
I encourage you to investigate this further before committing to the surgery. It took me awhile to figure out the names, ask the right questions, and then get a referral to interventional radiology.
Whatever you decide, good luck.
Steve