Best way to unclog a PEG?

Published

I have heard of using coke, ginger ale, meat tenderizer, warm cranberry juice, and lots of other things to unclog Peg tubes. What has worked well for y'all?

I was also wondering if there was a way to clean all the gunk out of the inside-we have someone who 6 weeks ago came back with a nice new clear tube and now it is a lovely shade of brown...

I've used coke, but recently my facility has just started stocking these and I love them. http://www.nationalscrubs.com/feedingtubedeclogger-16-18french395cmqty10.aspx dont know if we will keep them in stock, but I really hope so as I normally have 2-6 feeding tubes to care for during my shift and I always have at least one that does not want to flush.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yep, the decloggers work like a charm...:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Milking it and warm h20 clean gunk out flush as ordered and often depends on viscosity of what's going in and the diameter of the tubing taught that way in nursing school

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

We always used coke but I heard (and I have no evidence) that we are allowed to use 'pop' products anymore.

I have to admit it worked great!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I always use Coca-Cola and it works great.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Since someone mentioned prevention ...

Using very warm water to administer crushed meds goes a long way toward preventing clogs in the first place.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Sub-Acute, Hopsice.

"I also use baking soda and warm water. We have clog zapper to use on bad jtube clogs. To clear the brown gunk out of the peg tubing --> push really warm water or cranberry juice or ginger ale into the peg tubing and then clamp so that it remains in the tubing...wait 10 minutes and then run the clamp up and down the tubing (while clamped). When the line looks clear of pull back on the syringe to extract the liquid you pushed into the tubing. VOILA! Works like magic every time. "

That may be ok for a peg tube, but if you have a gtube, be careful about doing that. I had a rep from Ross tell me that if you "strip" the gtube, you will mess up the channel that you use to inflate/deflate the balloon and if you are unable to de-clog the tube, you will not be able to deflate the balloon to remove the tube and change it.

The little de-cloggers work well it the cloge it in the tube. If it is in the the openings in the stomach itself, you are out of luck. I like the pancreatic enzyme idea, but when I was in LTC, (5 years ago) we didn't do that. One LTC I worked in flushed all the gtubes with seltzer water 4 times a day. The patients belched a bit, but the tubes stayed clear.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Our MD's order a solution of 1 capsule of pancreatic enzymes with 1/4 amp bicarb. Instill and let dwell. It will unclog a PEG or J-tube like nothing I have seen.

Wow,and we're always clogging our tubes with pancreatic enzymes. :)

I'm a diet coke fan myself.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The bicarb activates the pancreatic enzymes which then "dissolve" the clog a digestive process.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Very cool!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med-surg, ID, #, ED.

coke works like magic all the time. patients with PEG could use a little coke in their lives! :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion