Feeding tubes should be placed into the small intestine rather than the stomach if
a. the patient is comatose.
b. a regular polymeric formula is being used.
c. the patient prefers not to have a tube passing through his or her nose.
d. the patient is expected to resume oral feedings within 1 to 2 weeks.
A
Feeding tubes should be placed into the small intestine rather than the stomach if the patient is not alert and does not have an intact gag reflex; this would include a comatose patient. Regular polymeric formulas can be administered into the stomach, not into the small intestine. Feeding tubes can be passed through the nose or through a stoma into the stomach or into the small intes-tine; the nose is usually only used if the feeding tube will be needed for less than 1 or 2 weeks. The time frame within which the patient is expected to resume oral feedings affects whether the nose or surgical placement is used, but does not affect whether feedings are administered into the stomach or small intestine.
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