Clinical Experience with "Clog Zapper" for G-J Tubes?

[cal06484]

A home health patient has a G-J-tube (the narrow bore J tube is inserted through the G-tube. The J tube was being used to infuse Jevity 1.5 cal/ml enteral feeding, until it became clogged - almost a week ago The patient may not require the tube much longer and would rather not go back to the hospital to have the tube replaced; the feeding is now infusing at lower rate through the G-tube. In the mean time, if there is a way to clear the J-tube and resume using it, we would like to do that. Does anybody have experience you can share about "Clog Zapper?" It's an enzyme formulation that is administered through a narrow bore catheter. There are a few inservice videos on YouTube, but the information is very basic. By now, I'm sure the feeding has congealed through the entire length of the tube.

[FashionablyL8, CNA, LPN]

We always used Coca-Cola, but I guess that's kind of old school and frowned upon now...? It worked well though- just a little bit to break up the clog. I've never heard of Clog Zapper but my facility isn't exactly known for it's modern interventions ?.

I hope it all works out! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[marienm, RN, CCRN]

I have used pancrelipase & bicarb as a clog zapper, but always in a situation where it was safe to push the dissolved clot into the patient's GI tract. I've never instilled it down a separate catheter...just dissolved them both in 15mL warm water and pushed as much as I could get down the clogged tube, let it stand, push-pull agitation to try to get things moving, etc. However, I don't think I'd want to push a week's worth of congealed TF and meds into anyone! What did you wind up doing?

[cal06484]

Thanks for the replies. Turns out that the G-tube clogged the next day, so the G-J tube was replaced by a G-tube. There were too many uncertainties to use the Clog-Zapper - and I agree about the week's worth of old congealed Jevity!

[ComeTogether, LPN]

We use a med called creon, although I've personally not seen it work well. We also have de-cloggers that act like a snake in a drain. Ive also seen coke used many times, always amazes me, for what its worth.

[MECO28, BSN, RN]

Clog zapper smells disgusting and it doesn’t work. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been sprayed in the face with it; it smells like vomit! Coke works so much better...although it’s generally frowned upon these days.

[darren_callcareer18]

I remembered when I used to work at SNF one of the patients PEG tube was clogged. They would like to send him to the hospital but one of the LPN said NO and borrowed a Sodium bicarbonate to another patient who is getting dialysis and the next day the patient with clogged PEG tube died.

I am thinking that time, that maybe NoCh3 uis not safe specially if it is not indicated to the patient. I thing bicarb is being used to treat acidosis.