Troubleshooting PEG tube

lpn1313 · Mar 30, 2005

Are you referring to the tubing attached to the bag that holds the liquid? If so, sometimes the port just gets stretched out from people jamming the connector in. Usually we just change the port. Of course we notice that after about 200 cc's are soaked into the bed :chuckle

bikeracer5313 · Mar 30, 2005

When you put the tubing in, it pushes out, like there is pressure there and it won't stay in. It is a fairly new tube, so I don't think it is stretched out. It just gradually will push out :idea:

pediatriclpn · Mar 31, 2005

I have had this problem in peds and geriatrics. Sometimes the patient has a lot of gas pushing the tube out. Or sometimes the tubing just isn't the right size for new tubes. For some odd reason. Probably just to irritate nurses.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2005

Notice if you patient is tensing up when you connect the feeding.

I had a patient with a tube,, but his mind was fine, occasionally certain nurses would have a hard time getting the feeding to go without the pump beeping, when some would try to bolus they would sit there and have to wait and wait. I finally asked him. He told me through use of his letter board that he could control how the feeding went through by his stomach muscles. Made sense to me. He did it to keep people in the room longer when he was bored. Dont know if this is the case with yours but,, might help to take note next time.

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Mar 31, 2005

I have a question-I hope someone can help with. I have worked with alot of PEG tubes, but we currently have one which is giving us problems. Recently, the tubing is coming undone and needs to be secured to the PEG. It is like there is pressure pushing the tubing (feeding tubing) back out?? Why is it doing this?? It has been fine before. No one seems to know the answer. Any help?

does the pt have residuals? can you flush the tube in and out easily with water? if you placed a syringe in it empty, does the plunger get forced up by this pressure? does the pt have good bowel sounds? how about bms? any abd pain?

bikeracer5313 · Mar 31, 2005

does the pt have residuals? can you flush the tube in and out easily with water? if you placed a syringe in it empty, does the plunger get forced up by this pressure? does the pt have good bowel sounds? how about bms? any abd pain?

It flushes fine-good bowel sounds-bm's fine-no abd. pain. havent tried the pressure thing. It seemed better last noc. Maybe it's just going to go away??? Thanks for the help.

bikeracer5313 · Mar 31, 2005

Notice if you patient is tensing up when you connect the feeding.
I had a patient with a tube,, but his mind was fine, occasionally certain nurses would have a hard time getting the feeding to go without the pump beeping, when some would try to bolus they would sit there and have to wait and wait. I finally asked him. He told me through use of his letter board that he could control how the feeding went through by his stomach muscles. Made sense to me. He did it to keep people in the room longer when he was bored. Dont know if this is the case with yours but,, might help to take note next time.

That's funny!! I have had people cough and up comes the water-or whatever you were bolusing!

javanurse2000, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2005

Is this a continuous feeding patient and the bag tubing line is slipping from the port? I noticed this happening when the peg tube is in the clamped position when I reconnect....now I leave it clamped until the tubes are in position then I unclamp and push the tubing into place (I check and double check...the CNAs really have me whooped on this one :rolleyes: ) if that doesn't work I clean or change the port....If its that the entire peg is slipping out, you probably just need a bigger retention bulb...but I think that's for g-tubes...pegs are supposed to be sewn in. Hope this helps

redshiloh · Mar 31, 2005

When this happens I've used tape, lots of tape. But a rubber band looped around both tubes works best.

Nursing=improvise improvise improvise

RN-PA, RN · Mar 31, 2005

When this happens I've used tape, lots of tape. But a rubber band looped around both tubes works best.
Nursing=improvise improvise improvise

I admit to doing the same thing if I've ruled out other problems. Then I put a doubled over towel around it to keep the bedding clean if it leaks or blows. It's just a pain in the butt when you have to remove all the tape to flush, check residual and administer meds, then retape it all. :stone

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2005

That's funny!! I have had people cough and up comes the water-or whatever you were bolusing!

Exactly, now imagine a totally alert adult in a nursing home with minimal muscle control, little to no speech. I'd be manipulating to get people to spend some time with me too. He was real good at it.