Nutrition support for patients in long-term acute care and subacute care facilities

Delivery of enteral nutrition

There is increasing evidence that enteral feeding is superior to parenteral nutrition with regard to maintaining gut structure and function. Selection of the enteral access route depends on the type and anticipated duration of nutrient delivery. At present, enteral feeding devices can be divided into two major categories: those entering the gastrointestinal tract through the oral or nasal cavity (oroenteric or nasoenteric tubes) and those entering through the abdominal wall including gastrostomy, duodenostomy, or jejunostomy tubes. This article provides a review of methods to insert and confirm gastric and intestinal feeding tube placement. Care of the patient with an enteric tube will be described.

New options for pumps and tubes: progress in enteral feeding techniques and devices

In the past, blenderized tube feeds prepared in the hospital kitchen were delivered by bolus or gravity at intervals of 4-6 h. These methods lack consistent steady flow and many times are not a safe mode of delivery for those at risk of vomiting and aspiration, and cause more patient discomfort than nutritional benefit. More recently, enteral feeding administration techniques and devices have been developed for the delivery of commercially prepared enteral formulas designed for specific disease states. These technological advances have improved enteral feeding practices.