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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.
Today’s tip is about PEG tubes versus nasogastric tubes. Currently, we’re working with the client who had their dad in ICU. Their dad has just come out of the ICU a couple of weeks ago. They’ve been weaned him off the ventilator after a brain injury. But they still have the tracheostomy and the nasogastric tube. Now the client’s dad is not ready to have the tracheostomy remove quite yet and they’ve been having a nasogastric tube for feeding but my client’s dad keeps pulling out the nasogastric tube and now the neurology team there is suggesting to insert a PEG tube.
So my thoughts on that are, PEG tubes have their time and their place. You know, if your loved one keeps pulling out the nasogastric tube, but especially when somebody is close to having the ventilator and tracheostomy remove, my suggestion is to keep going with the nasogastric tube because PEG tube is just simply a small operation or a small procedure and you should avoid a procedure if it can be avoided.
So nasogastric tubes are better especially since it keeps pushing things along and it’s shorter. Whereas PEG tubes are long-term and it can make people complacent to remove the tracheostomy, you know, because that’s the goal. The goal is to have the tracheostomy remove have the nasogastric tube removed and also have a PEG tube removed if you are deciding to consent to a PEG tube.
That’s my tip for today and I’ll talk to you in a few days. This is Patrik Hutzel of intensivecarehotline.com.