Feeding tubes are good for more than providing food, they can also relieve gas and bloating and reduce nausea and vomiting. Common uses of a feeding tube include: Providing nutrition: Food, in liquid form, can be provided through a feeding tube.

What is the life expectancy of a person with a feeding tube?

Patients who receive a percutaneous feeding tube have a 30-day mortality risk of 18%–24% and a 1-year mortality risk of 50%–63%. In a well-designed prospective study, Callahan et al. followed 150 patients with new feeding tubes and varied diagnoses, and found 30-day mortality of 22% and 1-year mortality of 50%.

How effective are feeding tubes?

Estimated survival at 1 year was 39% for those without feeding tubes and 50% for those with feeding tubes. The multivariate results indicated that feeding tubes were associated with a reduced risk of death (risk ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.59, 0.86).