What if the tube comes out before the gastrostomy tract has healed?
It rarely happens with a PEG tube and sometimes happens with the Malecot® or MIC-KEY® tubes. If the tube becomes accidentally dislodged call your child’s doctor at either the GI (415-476-5892) or surgical office (415-476-2538) for instructions. If you do not speak to a doctor or nurse after thirty (30) minutes take your child and gastrostomy supplies to the nearest emergency room for tube reinsertion. A tube will be placed into the gastrostomy tract to prevent closure and the need for another operation. If the emergency room doctors and nurses have questions, they can call the pediatric gastroenterologist, or surgeon who placed the tube. If you do not have a replacement gastrostomy tube to take with you, a FOLEY® catheter of the same size or smaller can be inserted as a replacement tube. Often, a special x-ray called a “gastrostomy tube dye study” will need to be taken to make sure the newly placed tube is in the stomach. A FOLEY® catheter can be used for feeding and stomach decompress
