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G-tube FAQs3-5
Here are some common questions people have about G-tubes. Always ask your doctor or CF care team if you don't understand something or have additional questions.
G-tubes help give extra calories to people who struggle to gain weight. A GI places a small tube through the skin into the stomach. At night, a longer tube is connected and attached to a pump that gives a high-calorie formula to your child when sleeping. In doing this, it's possible to get an extra 1,000 to 1,500 calories during the night.
Yes. The G-tube feeding is not a replacement for daily food but a supplement, most often given at night.
Yes. Many patients take a dose of pancreatic enzymes before and after the feedings as they would for a normal meal. Your CF care team will explain how to give your child pancreatic enzymes during G-tube feedings.
Feedings are usually completed during sleep, but your CF care team can help you make a G-tube feeding schedule for your child.
The G-tube will stay in only as long as your child needs it. Your GI can help determine when it's no longer needed. Most often after the G-tube is removed, the hole closes over in a few days. In some cases, it may take a few weeks to close. Surgery is not needed in most cases.
Generally, yes. Remember to take all the supplies needed for feeding. Opened formula can be stored in a cooler in the summer to prevent it from spoiling. Some patients keep a small kit that is filled with supplies needed for travel.
If the G-tube falls out, the opening will not close up right away. A new G-tube should be put in within 2 to 3 hours. If you are unsure of what to do or how to put it back in, call the GI or go to the emergency room at your local hospital.
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