Daily and weekly care of the Low Profile Gastrostomy Device (LPGD)
Date issued: September 2019
For review: September 2021
Ref: C?335/Dietetics/AH/Daily and weekly care of the low profile gastrostomy device v2
PDF: Daily and weekly care of the low profile gastrostomy device [pdf] 186KB
Daily care
Clean and dry stoma and tube with soap and water using soft cloth (no cotton wool). Rotate daily by 360°. If not using for feeds, flush daily with water as advised by dietitian.
Weekly care
Clean and dry stoma as per daily care. Hold button firmly in place. Use 2 x 5ml luer slip syringes. Pre?load one syringe with water as per manufacturers’ instructions. Attach empty 5ml syringe to balloon inflation port, draw back and measure water. Discard water and draw back a second time. Insert water from pre?loaded syringe into balloon. Rotate 360°. Dry thoroughly.
Document amount of water removed from and re?inserted into the balloon. The purpose of the weekly care is to assess the integrity of the balloon. Inform appropriate Health Care Professional if any concerns.
Points to remember
- Good hand & equipment hygiene
- Maintain sitting position of a minimum of 45° when flushing & feeding
- Regular mouth care
- Extension sets should be washed in warm soapy water, rinsed and left to air dry between uses. Change every 2?4 weeks.
Taken from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and Plymouth Community Healthcare CIC Adult Enteral Tube Feeding Policy Version 1.9 (2018)
