Re: G tube info please! -

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My g-son, , was never a good eater. By 8.5 months of age, he had

developed a severe oral aversion, (that we believe was due to missed

reflux), and it was nearly impossible to get enough formula down him for

survival. He weighed 8# and was severely malnourished, and catabolic, which

means he was consuming his own muscle tissue to sustain brain function.

There is a photo of him, at this age, in the photo section under

Lee.

A g-tube bypasses the mouth entirely. During surgery, a hole is made at the

top of the stomach, that is attached to the outer wall of the abdomen. This

is called a stoma. A tube is passed through the stoma, so you can pump

formula directly into the stomach. About 6 weeks after surgery, the tube is

replaced with a " button " . This is a device that has a connector port on the

top, or outside, of the stoma, and a balloon on the end that goes through

the stoma, and into the stomach. Once in place, you inflate the balloon with

sterile water, and it holds the " button " in place. uses an AMT Mini,

many others use a button called a Mic-Key.

The " set-up " includes a formula bag that has a long tube, that looks kind of

like IV tubing. This line passes through a pump, and is then connected to a

tube that has a special end that attaches to the " button " .

During the placement of a g-tube, many kids have two other procedures done

at the same time. One is called a fundoplication. This is a muscle wrap done

at the top of the stomach to help prevent reflux. The other is called a

pyloroplasty. This is an incision that crosses the pylorus sphincter, the

muscle at the bottom of the stomach, to aid in gastric emptying.

is 100% tube fed, and is on continuous feeds to help prevent hypo-g.

This means that he is connected to his pump all the time. He comes off feeds

4 times a day for " venting " . Venting is when you stop the pump, and open the

tube, so that any trapped air can escape from his stomach. This helps to

control the gagging, retching, and/or reflux, that often occur with tube-fed

kids.

Some children with g-tubes can do what are called " bolus " feeds. This is

where you pass a larger amount of formula through the tube at one time, kind

of like when you bottle feed an infant, and they don't have to stay

connected to a pump all day long.

The placement of a g-tube can be an agonizing decision for any parent. It is

usually used as a last resort. Once the choice is made, most parents feel

that it was the best decision they ever made for their kids.

Hope this explains what a g-tube is, how it is used, and some of the

terminology that you see here on the list serve. If you have any other

questions, or I didn't explain something well enough, feel free ask away!

Pat (g-ma to , RSS, 33 months, 22.5#, 31.8 " , G-Tube)