What To Expect From A Feeding Tube Insertion Procedure

After The Procedure

After the feeding tube insertion procedure, the individual is taken to a recovery unit for observation as they come off the anesthesia. Some individuals may be able to return home the same day as their feeding tube insertion procedure, while others will have to stay in the hospital overnight. The dressing placed over the area where the tube is inserted should not be removed until between twenty-four and forty-eight hours following the procedure. It takes around five full days for the stoma site to heal around the feeding tube fully. An individual who has had a feeding tube insertion procedure should expect to feel cramping and gas pain in the week following the procedure. The patient will be taught by their physician how to use and care for the feeding tube. They will learn how to wash the site and how to bathe with the feeding tube in place properly. They will learn what symptoms to watch out for in case of an infection, and they will learn how to empty their stomach properly. Additionally, patients will learn how to feed themselves with the tube and what to do if the feeding tube becomes obstructed.