Learning About Your Health
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This handout is designed to help you and your family understand how to feed yourself through your gastrostomy [gas-TROS-tuh-mee] tube (G-Tube) after you go home.
Steps for using G-Tube with formula via gravity
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Get supplies – formula (liquid food), water, syringe, container, and towel.
- Check expiration date of formula. See example of expiration date on bottom of can
- Sitting up, remove plug from G-Tube.
You may kink the G-Tube to prevent stomach contents from coming out.
- Attach syringe, pull back on the plunger and draw out stomach contents.
Put stomach contents from each syringe draw into a container. When you are done drawing out the stomach contents, return them to the stomach.
- If you are able to draw out more than 350ml of stomach contents, do not feed yourself the formula. Let your doctor or visiting nurse know.
- If you draw less than 350ml of stomach contents then go ahead with the feeding.
- Remove plunger from syringe and attach barrel of syringe to G-Tube.
- Shake formula.
- Pour formula into syringe and let it drain into the G-Tube by gravity. If the formula is thick and doesn’t flow easily you may add a little water.
- Pour more formula into barrel of syringe when it is three-quarters empty.
- Flush G-Tube with the prescribed amount of water when done.
- Wash syringe and containers.
- Stay sitting up during, and for at least 15-30 minutes after the feeding.
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Note: This information is not meant to replace any information or personal medical advice which you get directly from your doctor(s). If you have any questions about this information, such as the risks or benefits of the treatment listed, please ask your doctor(s).
Produced by the Center for Patient and Community Education in association with the staff and physicians at California Pacific Medical Center. Last updated: July 2011.
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