Quick Tip for Families in Intensive Care: My Dad Didn’t Need the Tracheostomy & is Now Off the Ventilator! Should We Do a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) or NG (Nasogastric) Tube for Feeding?
Update: 2025-08-27
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Quick Tip for Families in Intensive Care: My Dad Didn’t Need the Tracheostomy & is Now Off the Ventilator! Should We Do a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) or NG (Nasogastric) Tube for Feeding?
“My dad didn’t need a tracheostomy, and he’s now off the ventilator and the breathing tube. Should we still do a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) or nasogastric tube for feeding?”
My name is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip and update for families in intensive care, where we answer critical questions for families in intensive care that come up for many families in intensive care, especially when a loved one is coming off the ventilator.
So, here’s the situation. Theresa says, “Thank you for your perspective on the tracheostomy.” This is one of our members that we’ve been working with for quite some time.
You can join our membership at intensivecarehotline.com if you want to become a member and help families in intensive care.
This client initially came to us and asked whether her dad should have a tracheostomy or whether there was a chance to be weaned off the ventilator and avoid the tracheostomy. We said there is a chance to wean off the ventilator and avoid the tracheostomy, and that’s exactly what came true.
So then, the member says, “Thank you for your perspective on the tracheostomy. Thankfully, we didn’t do the tracheostomy and my father was able to wean off the breathing tube on Friday, and he has been stable since. He’s swallowing okay and he’s managing his secretions. He didn’t fully pass the swallow tests today. He did okay with water and honey consistency, but not apple sauce. We are trying again tomorrow.
What is your suggestion/opinion regarding putting a tube in for feeding or hydration until he can manage to eat okay on his own?”
So, here’s the situation. It’s great that your dad made it so far. Your dad has successfully avoided the tracheostomy. He’s been extubated and he’s stable off the ventilator, so you’ve done really well there because if you had listened to the ICU team, they would have just done a tracheostomy, and they would have sent him to an LTAC (Long Term Acute Care). This is a client in the US obviously.
He’s swallowing some, handling secretions, managing thin liquids and honey consistency during the swallow test. He didn’t pass with apple sauce today, but another attempt is coming tomorrow. Now you’re being asked, should we put a feeding tube in, maybe a PEG tube (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) or a nasogastric tube, and the clock is ticking.
Here’s what you need to know based on my experience he...
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