Today, I just want to make a short but important point. Unlike a button or gastrotube, a PEG can only be changed with some effort. To make sure that this has to be done as rarely as possible, it is important to take good care of it. In this post, this really refers to the tube itself, not the insertion site.
Flushing
Whenever anything other than clear water is administered through the PEG, it should be flushed afterwards. With clear, body-temperature, non-carbonated water. I have already covered the reasons for using body-temperature and non-carbonated water in more detail in this article here. I always ask for 40 ml of water to rinse it. Then there is definitely only water in the tube. And a little extra liquid has never hurt anyone.
Removing deposits
Even if the tube is always rinsed, it is unavoidable that deposits from the tube formula will form in the tube. This is not a problem, but you should still make sure that these deposits come loose regularly. To do this, simply squeeze the tube between your fingertips when giving fluids, either by yourself or with the help of an assistant or nurse, and roll it back and forth. This usually loosens the deposits.
Pepsi(n)
Occasionally, however, the deposits are a little more stubborn. I was given a tip for dealing with this at the rehabilitation clinic after the initial setup: simply add Pepsi-Cola to the tube and wait a little. Of course, it also works with cola from other manufacturers or even with pepsin wine from the pharmacy. The important thing is the pepsin it contains. It is a digestive enzyme that is also produced by the human body and breaks down the proteins in food. Together with the otherwise rather unpopular carbonic acid and the citric acid in Pepsi/Cola, this treatment is sufficient in my experience. It also removes more stubborn deposits in the PEG tube. Remember to rinse it with water afterwards.
Moving the clip
Another important maintenance tip concerns the clip. This is located on the outside of the tube and, when closed, prevents liquid from flowing through the tube. In both directions. It must therefore always be closed before the PEG connector is opened. Otherwise, the contents of the stomach can leak out unhindered.
Personally, I always closed my safety clip when the tube was not in use. Otherwise, it was easy to forget to close the clip before opening the connector. On the other hand, it can also happen that the connector comes loose, even when the tube is not being handled.
The disadvantage of this approach is that the closed clip naturally puts a strain on the tube material. Over time, it deforms and is compressed more and more at the corresponding point. This makes the tube thinner at this point and less permeable. In the worst case, the material can even be damaged and the tube will leak. It is therefore all the more important to always move the clip a little. Since it can be freely moved along the PEG, this is not a big problem. You just have to remember to do it. That’s why it’s routine for me to move the clip a little bit each time I use the PEG.
Lasts for years
If you follow these simple instructions, you should be able to use the same PEG for a long time without any problems. A new PEG always lasts several years for me without any problems. Despite all the care, the tube may turn a little yellow over time. However, this alone is no reason to change it. Personally, I only have my PEG replaced when it (soon) no longer works properly.
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