Feeding Tubes?
It can sometimes become necessary to use a feeding tube to support people with CKD, especially children. These are often essential and allow the easy administration of medicines as well as a way to get nutrition and nutrition in. With one of the common symptoms of CKD being sickness and dehydration being a severe risk factors it's easy to see why getting essential medicines and fluids into a patient is so essential.
There are many different types of feeding tubes and its important that if you are being considered for one discuss the options with your doctor to understand what they recommend and how it will impact you.
NG-Tubes
An NG Tube is a small tube which goes in through the nose, down through the throat and into the stomach. As with all feeding tubes they allow medicines and liquid food to be put directly into the stomach without the need to take it orally.
An NG Tube is less invasive than some of the other feeding tubes because it can be inserted by a trained nurse, parent, or carer and does not require surgery to insert or remove. It is often replaced every few weeks. However, it is more visible (as it comes out of the patient's nose) and can be dislodged by accident or severe vomiting.
Gastrostomy Tubes
A Gastrostomy Tube is a tube which is inserted into the patient's stomach and then taken out through the stomach wall to the front of their abdomen. It is inserted surgically however does not need to be replaced as frequently as an ng-tube (typically a Gastrostomy Tube can remain in place for several years) and is clearly not as visible. However, as a surgical procedure is required to insert the tube patients often start with an ng-tube and then only progressed if necessary.
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