‘Anatomy’ of a feeding tube

When you have had the operation done, you will have a feeding tube in place. Understanding how it sits in the body can be useful to know as you consider having the operation done, and then afterwards for when you are taking care of it and using it to feed. In this film Sean the dietitian uses a mannequin to show how and where the tube sits.

There are a few different types of feeding tubes, made by different companies. However, they all have some key features in common, and work in the same way. The type of tube you are given will depend on what your local clinical team prefers. Also, they will consider if you or your carer/family have any issues with hand strength/dexterity.

Some people choose to have their tube swapped later on for a low profile ‘button’ tube. However, not all regions can offer these. This type of tube requires additional training to manage at home. Please see Key definitions for a glossary of the terms used here.