How to Feed the Nasogastric Tube

Feeding to the nasogastric tube, called the enteral diet, must be done with foods well crushed in a blender and strained, so that they are left with a liquid consistency. In addition, juices must be made in the centrifuge.

There are also ready-to-eat meals, such as Fresubin, Cubitan, Nutrirink, Nutren or Diason, for example, which can be bought in pharmacies in powder form, which can cost up to 60 reais or in units of 200 ml prepared which can cost between 15 and 30 reais.

Generally, the patient also takes a nutritional supplement indicated by the doctor that can be added in the preparation of food for one of the meals. Fiber supplementation is very common, especially when the patient has had the probe for a long time.

Nasogastric tube feeding menu

This example menu is an option for a day's feeding for a person who needs to be fed by a nasogastric tube.

Breakfast - Liquid manioc porridge.

Collation - Strawberry vitamin.

Lunch - Carrot, potato, pumpkin and turkey meat soup. Orange juice.

Snack - Avocado smoothie.

Dinner - Cauliflower soup, ground chicken and pasta. Acerola juice.

Supper - Liquid yogurt.

In addition, it is important to give the patient water through the probe, about 1.5 to 2 liters throughout the day and not to use the water just to wash the probe.

When to give the meal by tube

To know whether the patient can receive the next meal or not, some precautions are necessary, such as:

Before feeding, aspirate the contents of the stomach with the syringe, to check that the stomach is empty; If there is no liquid left in the syringe, give the meal; If liquid leaves the syringe, return the contents to the stomach and wait the patient does the digestion; when the content that comes out is more than half of the previous meal, this meal should not be given, for example if you are going to give the snack and the syringe is full, the snack is not given and it is repeated again the procedure at dinner time; when the content is less than half, the meal can be given but in half the amount.

When liquid often comes out before giving the meal, it means that the previous meal has not been digested by the patient, and the doctor should be informed as it may be necessary to feed through the vein.

Indications for the use of a nasogastric tube

Feeding by nasogastric tube is indicated by the doctor when the patient is unable to chew or swallow food, which can happen in case of:

Cancer in the mouth or esophagus; Performing surgeries in the mouth, throat or esophagus; Neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis or stroke; Esophageal spasm; Myasthenia gravis; Muscular dystrophy.

The enteral diet can also be used in patients who refuse to feed as in the case of anorexia nervosa.