Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube)
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You have been discharged with a gastrostomy tube, or G-tube. The G-tube was inserted through your abdominal wall and into your stomach to provide you with food, fluids, and medication. Your G-tube may move in and out slightly. If the tube comes out all the way, don’t put it back in. Call your doctor immediately (not the next morning) as the G-tube tracts through the skin close very quickly, often within 24 hours.
General Guidelines for Use
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Wash your hands thoroughly before starting your feeding.
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During the feeding and for 1 hour after, sit in a chair or sit up in bed.
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Before feeding begins, check to see that your stomach is empty.
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Insert the tip of an empty syringe into the end of the G-tube.
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Pull back to withdraw contents of the stomach.
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Don’t begin the feeding if more than 100 ml remains from the previous feeding.
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Clean the area around the tube with mild soap and water.
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Pat the area dry during bathing and as needed.
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Clean the area more often if it becomes wet or weepy.
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Keep the flange a few millimeters off the skin (just enough room to accommodate a gauze sponge). Pulling the flange too tightly can damage the skin, but leaving the flange too loose leads to leaking around the G-tube. The medical team will cover these guideliens prior to hospital discharge.
The name of my feeding supplement/formula is:
___________________________________________
Amount per feeding:
___________________________________________
Times per day:
___________________________________________
Amount of water used to flush tube:
___________________________________________
Gravity Feeding Method
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Fill the feeding bag with the prescribed amount of formula and run the fluid to the end of the tube to clear out any air. Clamp the tube.
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Connect the end of the feeding bag tubing to the G-tube.
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Hang the bag at least 18 inches above the level of your G-tube.
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Open the clamp and allow the formula to flow into the G-tube.
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Follow with the prescribed amount of water.
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After each feeding, rinse the bag and tubing. Every 24 hours, wash with soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
Pump Feeding Method
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Fill the feeding bag with the prescribed amount of formula and run the fluid to the end of the tube to clear out any air. Clamp the tube.
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Connect the end of the feeding bag tubing to the G-tube. Set the pump rate of flow to the prescribed rate per hour.
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Open the clamp on the tubing; press the start button on your pump.
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When feeding is complete, disconnect the feeding set.
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Connect the tip of an empty syringe to the feeding tube and slowly push in the prescribed amount of water.
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After each feeding, rinse the bag and tubing. Every 24 hours, wash with soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
Syringe Feeding Method
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Remove the plunger from a syringe and connect the syringe to the G-tube.
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Hold the syringe upright and pour the formula into the syringe.
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Refill the syringe as the formula reaches the bottom of the syringe.
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Repeat the process until the prescribed amount of formula is given.
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Follow the feeding with the prescribed amount of water.
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After each feeding, rinse the bag and tubing. Every 24 hours, wash with soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
Follow-Up
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
When to Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
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A tube that is dislodged from the stomach, call immediately
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Vomiting
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Fever above 101.5°F (38.5°C)
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Diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days
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Signs of infection (redness, swelling, or warmth at the tube site)
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Drainage from the tube site
