Feeding tube-related complications and problems in patients receiving long-term home enteral nutrition

Abstract

Aim:The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term complications and problems related to gastrostomy and jejunostomy feeding tubes used for home enteral nutrition support and the effect these have on health care use.Materials and Methods:The medical records of 31 patients having gastrostomy (27 patients) and jejunostomy (4) feeding tubes inserted in our Department were retrospectively studied. All were discharged on long-term (>3 months) enteral nutrition and followed up at regular intervals by a dedicated nurse. Any problem or complication associated with tube feeding as well as the intervention, if any, that occurred, was recorded. Data were collected and analyzed.Results:All the patients were followed up for a mean of 17.5 months (4–78). The most frequent tube-related complications included inadvertent removal of the tube (broken tube, plugged tube; 45.1%), tube leakage (6.4%), dermatitis of the stoma (6.4%), and diarrhea (6.4%). There were 92 unscheduled health care contacts, with an average rate of such 2.9 contacts over the mean follow-up time of 17.5 months.Conclusion:In patients receiving long-term home enteral nutrition, feeding tube-related complications and problems are frequent and result in significant health care use. Further studies are needed to address their optimal prevention modalities and management.

Caring for patients on home enteral nutrition: Reported complications by home carers and perspectives of community nurses

“…More than half of our carers (58.4%) reported accidental tube removal as one of the complications encountered. However, accidental tube removal was less reported in other studies (Alivizatos, Gavala, Alexopoulos, Apostolopoulos, & Bajrucevic, ; Silver, Wellman, Arnold, Livingstone, & Byers, ). In Silver et al.…”

“…'s (2004a) study, only 26.7% of their patients experienced tube displacement, whereas 45.1% of the patients in Alivizatos et al. 's () study reported tube removal as tube‐related complications.…”

Addressing Frequent Issues of Home Enteral Nutrition Patients

“…Most tube‐feeding issues can be resolved within the home setting. However, almost 25% of HEN patients will require hospitalization within 6 months of tube placement, and 3–5 additional home visits by the HCP are needed in the first 18 months . The most frequently reported issues are mechanical problems related to the tube, including dislodgment, leaking, and tube occlusion.…”

Stan odżywienia pacjentów Neurochirurgicznego Oddziału Intensywnej Opieki Medycznej

“…It is proper to use tube feedings on the condition that it is possible to absorb the nutrients from GI tract [16]. The use of these tubes for a long time might create different complications and troubles influential on quality of life and lead to some outcomes on the use of health care economically even if the lower rate of morbidity is associated with the insertion of such tubes [20,27].…”