Published Dec 10, 2014
Graduation2016
528 Posts
Hello! Working on my last med/Surg case study and I'm a little blocked. My pretend pt is due for a bolus feeding but he states he feels full. Abdomen somewhat distended but bowel sounds are present. Since I'm making up the case, I pretended this is a 26 y/o male who has a hx of anorexia. It was discovered that his tube is displaced. I'm having a hard time elaborating on this. Tips? Thanks in advance!
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Is there any other information/assessment?
I mean displaced where? Do you have residual? If so how much?
Hi Esme, I have changed the diagnosis to constipation due to delayed gastric emptying. Only info I have is that the patient is staring he is full and he does have some bowel sounds, that is all I have, that is what is so hard for me to make up the story in order to come up with a diagnosis and care plan. I elaborated based on the diagnosis I changed it to.
Lev, MSN, RN, NP
4 Articles; 2,805 Posts
Constipated from his tube feed? Usually, it's the other way around...
Well, that's all I could find, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. What are other causes of having a distended abdomen but bowel sounds present while having a peg tube? I'm dying here! Lol
dah doh, BSN, RN
496 Posts
Perhaps you need to rethink your made up patient. A 26 y.o. has a G-tube with a h/o anorexia? Seems a bit extreme for such a young patient. Any other medical history?
Displaced G-tube and you're worried about constipation? Tube feeding usually causes diarrhea. Displaced G-tube meaning it fell out? Or displaced G-tube like it slipped into the fascia? Then I'd worry more about peritonitis!
IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP
1,344 Posts
Was there information you were given and then you had to add onto the info to make a case?
Again, the only info I was given is this: you are preparing to give a scheduled bolus feeding to a patient. He then states he feels too full to have another feeding and his last one was 4 hours ago. Abdomen is somewhat distended but there are bowel sounds present. What would cause the fullness and the distention on this patient?
I made up the part of being 26 and with a hx of anorexia just to add something to it. The tube displacement was my first choice for a diagnosis but it was getting too complicated to keep on elaborating. From what I read some types of formula may cause constipation that is why I switched.
A more like candidate for this case would be a 82 year old man with a history of aspiration pneumonia.
A patient with a distended abdomen can still have a bowel obstruction/ileus.
I would go more for an elderly patient with CVA swallow difficulties and PEG tube with ileus/bowel obstruction and high tinkling bowel sounds auscultated and large residual complaining of nausea/vomiting.
Again, the only info I was given is this: you are preparing to give a scheduled bolus feeding to a patient. He then states he feels too full to have another feeding and his last one was 4 hours ago. Abdomen is somewhat distended but there are bowel sounds present. What would cause the fullness and the distention on this patient? I made up the part of being 26 and with a hx of anorexia just to add something to it. The tube displacement was my first choice for a diagnosis but it was getting too complicated to keep on elaborating. From what I read some types of formula may cause constipation that is why I switched.
See what you were adding creates more confusion and an odd case...versus something realistic.
Chances are the feeding tube is related to a medical condition where eating is dangerous or the person can't physically eat. Anorexia and a feeding tube...can happen but not as likely.
So think of conditions which would be more likely to cause a need for a feeding tube. Think of why that abdomen might be distended. Formulas can constipated but frequent they go the other way.