Feeding tubes in children. 2018

Andrea Volpe, and Georgina Malakounides
Department of Paediatric Surgery and urology, Children's Services, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.

A practical guide to different feeding tubes available for nutritional support in children, focused on indications, placement methods and complications. Enteral nutritional support refers to the delivery of nutrition into the gastrointestinal tract distal to the oesophagus. Different feeding tubes are available for exclusive or supplemental nutritional support in children who are unable to independently sustain their own growth, nutritional and hydration status. Gastric feeding is the first choice; however, jejunal feeding provides a good alternative route in the presence of contraindications or intolerance. Feeding tubes can be short or long term: nasogastric and nasojejunal tubes provide short-term nutrition support, gastrostomy and jejunostomy tubes, long-term enteral feeding. The latter are established surgically through the formation of a stoma, an artificial connection between gastric or jejunal lumen and the abdominal wall, performed either endoscopically (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy) or surgically (gastrostomy, direct jejunostomy). Awareness of different available options, technical considerations and potential risks will inform the decision-making process for an individual patient to ensure the correct balance between adequate enteral nutritional and unnecessary morbidity. Successful administration of nutrition support requires knowledge of the correct indication, route and specific functional details of the appropriate feeding tube.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007441 Intubation, Gastrointestinal The insertion of a tube into the stomach, intestines, or other portion of the gastrointestinal tract to allow for the passage of food products, etc. Intubation, Nasogastric,Gastrointestinal Intubation,Gastrointestinal Intubations,Intubations, Gastrointestinal,Intubations, Nasogastric,Nasogastric Intubation,Nasogastric Intubations
D009751 Nutritional Requirements The amounts of various substances in food needed by an organism to sustain healthy life. Dietary Requirements,Nutrition Requirements,Dietary Requirement,Nutrition Requirement,Nutritional Requirement,Requirement, Dietary,Requirement, Nutrition,Requirement, Nutritional,Requirements, Dietary,Requirements, Nutrition,Requirements, Nutritional
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002983 Clinical Competence The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care. Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D004750 Enteral Nutrition Nutritional support given via the alimentary canal or any route connected to the gastrointestinal system (i.e., the enteral route). This includes oral feeding, sip feeding, and tube feeding using nasogastric, gastrostomy, and jejunostomy tubes. Enteral Feeding,Force Feeding,Nutrition, Enteral,Tube Feeding,Gastric Feeding Tubes,Feeding Tube, Gastric,Feeding Tubes, Gastric,Feeding, Enteral,Feeding, Force,Feeding, Tube,Feedings, Force,Force Feedings,Gastric Feeding Tube,Tube, Gastric Feeding,Tubes, Gastric Feeding
D005774 Gastrostomy Creation of an artificial external opening into the stomach for nutritional support or gastrointestinal compression. Gastrostomies
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013505 Digestive System Surgical Procedures Surgery performed on the digestive system or its parts. Gastrointestinal Surgical Procedures,Digestive System Surgical Procedure,Gastrointestinal Surgical Procedure,Procedure, Digestive System Surgical,Procedure, Gastrointestinal Surgical,Procedures, Digestive System Surgical,Procedures, Gastrointestinal Surgical,Surgical Procedure, Digestive System,Surgical Procedure, Gastrointestinal,Surgical Procedures, Digestive System,Surgical Procedures, Gastrointestinal

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