multi class comparison

Enteral Feeding Route Comparison: NG vs PEG vs Jejunostomy — Indications, Verification, Complications

Giving a bolus feeding through a jejunostomy tube causes dumping syndrome. Skipping X-ray verification on a newly placed NG tube risks pulmonary aspiration. Each route has non-negotiable rules — the NCLEX expects you to know which rule belongs to which tube.

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Comparison

Side-by-side3 compared
Comparevs
Dimension
NG Tube
PEG / Gastrostomy
Jejunostomy
Placement
  • Nose then stomach
  • nurse inserts at bedside
  • Abdominal wall then stomach (endoscopic)
  • Abdominal wall then jejunum (surgical)
Duration
  • Short-term (< 4–6 weeks)
  • Long-term (> 4–6 weeks)
  • Long-term (> 4–6 weeks)
Placement verification
  • ★X-ray before first use
  • pH ≤ 5 each feed
  • Confirm external mark at skin each shift
  • Confirm external mark at skin each shift
Feeding method
  • Bolus or continuous
  • Bolus or continuous
  • ★Continuous only — bolus causes dumping
Key complication
  • Tube migration then aspiration pneumonia
  • Buried bumper
  • peristomal skin breakdown
  • Dumping syndrome
  • small-lumen occlusion
Aspiration risk
  • Highest — can migrate above LES / airway
  • Moderate — reflux if patient supine
  • Lowest — bypasses stomach
Placement

NG Tube

  • Nose then stomach
  • nurse inserts at bedside

PEG / Gastrostomy

  • Abdominal wall then stomach (endoscopic)
Duration

NG Tube

  • Short-term (< 4–6 weeks)

PEG / Gastrostomy

  • Long-term (> 4–6 weeks)
Placement verification

NG Tube

  • ★X-ray before first use
  • pH ≤ 5 each feed

PEG / Gastrostomy

  • Confirm external mark at skin each shift
Feeding method

NG Tube

  • Bolus or continuous

PEG / Gastrostomy

  • Bolus or continuous
Key complication

NG Tube

  • Tube migration then aspiration pneumonia

PEG / Gastrostomy

  • Buried bumper
  • peristomal skin breakdown
Aspiration risk

NG Tube

  • Highest — can migrate above LES / airway

PEG / Gastrostomy

  • Moderate — reflux if patient supine

★ marks the fact that sets a column apart.

Clinical Pearl

NG = X-ray every new placement; PEG = check the bumper; Jejunostomy = continuous only, never bolus.

Component Topics

NG Tube Insertion & VerificationPEG / Gastrostomy Tube CareTube Feeding Complications

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