PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY TUBE

Course overview

PARENTERAL AND ENTERAL FEEDINGS ARE CONSIDERED IN PATIENTS WITH INSUFFICIENT ORAL INTAKE OR CONTRAINDICATIONS TO ANYTHING BY MOUTH. NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED INCLUDES PROTEIN OR AMINO ACIDS, CARBOHYDRATES, FIBER, FAT, WATER, MINERALS, AND VITAMINS. PARENTERAL NUTRITION REFERS TO THE DELIVERY OF CALORIES AND NUTRIENTS VIA A VEIN WHEREAS ENTERAL TUBE FEEDING REFERS TO DELIVERING NUTRITION VIA A TUBE DIRECTLY INTO THE GUT (STOMACH, DUODENUM, OR JEJUNUM). ENTERAL FEEDING IS SUPERIOR TO TOTAL PARENTERAL NUTRITION (TPN) DUE TO FEWER INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS, REDUCED COST, EARLIER GUT FUNCTION, PRESERVATION OF GUT MUCOSA AND IMMUNE FUNCTION, AND REDUCED HOSPITAL LENGTH OF STAY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, TECHNIQUE OF PEG TUBE INSERTION, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS REQUIRING NUTRITION.