2-4 weeks post-surgery: Most children will have follow-up with their surgeon for a post-operative evaluation​

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6-8 weeks post-surgery: Most children will have a follow-up with their surgeon to change out their G-button for the first time, known as a tube change. At this visit, families will be taught how to do tube changes at home, usually 3-6 months as long as the G-tube is needed​

Annual: Visit with surgeon or GI team to assess tube and make any needed changes, children typically require larger tubes over time as they grow.​

**There may be different schedules depending on your hospital and care team​

School: children can typically return to school within 3-5 days after surgery​

Swimming: children can typically go swimming within 2 weeks after surgery​

Return to more strenuous activities, such as soccer or gymnastics: children can typically resume activities and sports within 4-6 weeks after surgery​

When you and your care team agree your child no longer needs their G tube, it can usually be removed in clinic, covered with an occlusive dressing and usually will close up on its own within 1 to 2 weeks. ​

It is extremely important to keep the tube in place for the first 6 to 8 weeks after initial placement while the tract extending from the skin into the stomach heals. Your team will discuss how to know if your child's G-tube is dislodged. ​

If the tube falls out or is accidently pulled out or dislodged during this healing phase it can be an emergency. If a tube becomes dislodged at home during these first 6-8 weeks, you will be advised to be evaluated in the hospital where your care team can attempt replacement and confirm adequate position with an imaging study before using the tube for feeds again. ​

After 6-8 weeks of healing, the tube can usually be safely removed by deflating the balloon through the side port on the button and simply sliding it out. ​

If the tube becomes dislodged after the first successful tube exchange, it can often be replaced at home and your child will not need to be urgently evaluated if it goes back in easily.​
Tube dislodgement is a common G-tube complication, with rates ranging from 3-50% of people experiencing this complication. Click here (link below)​

If the tube becomes dislodged after the first successful tube exchange, it can often be replaced at home and your child will not need to be urgently evaluated if it goes back in easily.

A G-tube can cause pressure and irritation at the level of the skin, which can cause inflammation of the skin known as cellulitis​

Cellulitis is a common G-tube complication, typically 30-50% experience this complication​

If the area becomes red and sore, typically can clean it with soap and warm water. Rinse around the area with plain water and pat dry.​

If any areas appear crusty, gently soak or scrub them with soap and warm water on the skin and tube itself. If you prefer, you may use a solution of ½ hydrogen peroxide and ½ water applied with a cotton swab to help clean these areas. After cleaning, rinse with plain water and pat dry.​

Treatment of this infection can typically be treated with oral antibiotics, but more significant infections may require intravenous antibiotics

All G tubes have some degree of leakage of stomach fluid around the tube onto the skin, some more than others. Usually this is minimal and easily manageable, but if severe, can cause significant irriation to the surrounding skin and may require treatment, and rarely, revision of the G tube.

Granulation tissue is new tissue and blood vessels that develop as a normal response to injury to promote healing. The new tissue has a granular, beefy, or bumpy texture, hence the name "granulation." ​

This tissue can form around the G-tube site and can have tiny blood vessels that make the tissue appear pink or cause bleeding​

Granulation Tissue is a common G-tube complication, with rates ranging from 4-60% of people experiencing this complication. Click here (link below)​

Typically treated in clinic with silver nitrate cauterization or can be treated at home with a topical steroid cream. At times it may require surgical removal​

Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) or reflux, is the movement of stomach contents into the esophagus. 25% of people with CF <18 experience reflux ​

Research demonstrates that many people with reflux will continue to have reflux after G-tube placement or it could get worse and require medication to reduce the acidity of the stomach contents (acid-blockers)​

This may be related to the stomach getting over distended​

Reflux can increase the risk of aspiration, or fluid entering the lungs​

Some people have experienced improvement in their reflux after G-tube placement ​

Click here to learn more: ​

Bloating, Vomiting or Nausea: 20-70% of people experience some vomiting or nausea with G-tube feeds, particularly in the morning after continuous overnight feeds. Click here to learn more​

Diarrhea: G-tube feeds can lead to diarrhea, typically experienced by 15-40%. Click link here ​

Possible causes:​

Medications​

Something is blocking the intestine​

Tube is not positioned correctly​

Tube feeding formula, rate or amount may not be ideal​

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What to do:​

Reduce the rate of tube feeding​

Space the tube feedings further apart​

Leave tube open to drain if nauseous​

Call your health care professional if nausea and vomiting prevent you from getting your full feedings for more than a day ​

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