Feeding Tube Awareness Week 2017

Feeding tubes are a lifesaving and simple piece of medical equipment, which can be used for both children and adults for a variety of conditions.

Feeding tubes are required when nutrient requirements cannot be met by regular food intake. This can be a consequence of many clinical conditions, including illness, decreased appetite or difficulties in swallowing.

Enteral nutrition can be provided by tube feeding either via a naso-gastric tube placed through the nose, or a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube directly into the stomach. Enteral nutrition requires a functioning, or at least a partially functioning, gut. When there is intestinal failure and a non-functioning gut, the provision of nutrients is given intravenously, via the veins. This is known as parenteral nutrition.

The choice of route depends on the clinical condition of the patient, their GI function, anatomy and access and expected duration of feeding. Whichever feeding tube is chosen, they all are important to enhance quality of life.

BSNA members not only produce the feed for the patient, but also the feeding tubes and equipment required for safe feeding. These feeds are highly regulated and can be used under medical supervision across a wide range of settings such as hospitals, care homes, clinics and private homes.

Over the week, BSNA has been helping to raise awareness and promote the positive use of feeding tubes through social media using #FeedingTubeAwarenessWeek2017. We would love you to show your support by doing the same!

To find out more information, please visit www.feedingtubeawarenessweek.org