OVERVIEW
This page is designed to organize content that is relevant to the topic of a clogged percutaneous feeding tube. This situation is often encountered in medicine, and is important to be familiar with.
WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?
Before going any farther, let us make sure we clearly define the “medical problem”. A clogged percutaenous feeding tube refers to one that can not be flushed.
Patients may initially present with complaints that they are not able to inject feeds into their tubes
HOW DO WE APPROACH THIS ISSUE?
The general approach to a clogged percutaneous feeding tube:
- Confirm the tube in question is a feeding tube
- Attempt to flush saline
- Use a wire to break up clogging material in tube
- Use ginger ale/coca cola to flush tube
- Replace tube if above if the clog can not be resolved
Page Updated: 09.21.2017