Word parts
What it means
Often called a G-tube. It is used for long-term enteral nutritionEN-ter-ul noo-TRISH-unLiquid nutrition given through a tube into the stomach or small intestine.enter/o intestine-al relating toFull entry , fluids and medicines when a client cannot eat or swallow safely. It may be placed with an endoscope (a PEG tube), by a radiologist or in surgery. A low-profile type that sits flat on the skin is called a button.
For the nurse
Keep the head of the bed up at least 30 degrees during and after feedings. Flush with water before and after each medicine and feeding, keep the skin around the tube clean and dry, and report redness, leakage or a tube that has moved or come out.
At a glance
| Spanish | sonda de gastrostomía |
|---|---|
| Also written | gastrostomy tubes, G-tube, G tube |
Related terms
aspiration
Breathing food, liquid, saliva or stomach contents into the airway and lungs; also, drawing fluid out with suction or a needle.
nasogastric tube
A thin, flexible tube passed through the nose and down the esophagus into the stomach.
gastr/o
A word part that means stomach.
enteral nutrition
Liquid nutrition given through a tube into the stomach or small intestine.