A feeding tube is a medical device that provides nutrition to your body.
Feeding tubes are generally used when you have trouble eating or drinking because of difficulty swallowing, illness, surgery or other medical conditions.
There are several types of feeding tubes that differ in how they're put into place and where they are placed in your body.
For example, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) involves inserting the tube through the abdominal wall using an endoscope (a narrow tube with a light and camera).
A percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG-J) requires surgical placement of the tube inside the stomach and/or small intestine.
A percutaneous radiological gastrostomy (PRG) involves inserting the tube through an incision in the abdomen and placing it outside of the stomach into the upper portion of the small intestine.
And then you have the feeding tubes that go into the body via the nose. These are known as nasogastric tubes (NG) which goes to the stomach and nasojejunal tubes (NJ) which goes tot the intestines and by passes the stomach.
Feeding tubes may be temporary or permanent. Feeding tubes can be helpful and they come in different types so that you can find one that works best for you!
Let's face it, feeding tubes can be a scary thing. The most important thing you can do is to make sure you or your loved ones know and understand the risks and benefits.