It’s confusing all these words being throw at you when your not in the medical world all the time. For me I forget that people don’t know what a Hickman or J tube is he cause it’s a daily thing for me.
So here is a…
Glossary
At this moment I have a Hickman central line in the left side of my chest. I have had this central line since July of 2019. Over the years I’ve had 3 Hickman lines. My Hickman is used for medication like Benadryl is one and it’s use for fluids, iron different vitamins and blood infusions or transfusions. I have had very many picc lie over the years. Mine normally lasted between 3-10 months. Mainly for iv medicines that I need daily like Benadryl. The picc lines are normally in your arms. But can be place on other parts of the body as well. A GJ tube is a tube that goes into your stomach from a hole created by the doctors that goes in your stomach wall and is guided with a wire past your stomach into your small intestines and stops at the jejunum which is a part of your small intestines. If all that was confusing you’re not alone. Basically the GJ tube is so that you can have a tube in your stomach and without having to have surgery to have another tube placed in your small intestines.
I had a GJ tube for a little less then a year and because of my small intestines not like the tube being moved around in my small intestines it caused my body to think it wasn’t good and my eosinophils seem to attack it. So they had to place just a G tube A G tube is a tube that is directly into your stomach. I have a G tube I use mainly for draining and for medicines. Most people that have G tubes have them for not being able to eat enough or any by mouth or have issues with there esophagus. There are many reasons for G tubes just like every feeding tube.The j tube is normally placed when someone’s stomach is paralyzed and/or unable to move food into the small intestines. I’ve had a J tube since 2018 it’s helped so much. I am connected to J Tube feeds anywhere from 14-19 hours a day. I do my feeds while I’m mainly awake.A button G tube is slightly different it’s a different kind of tube. That is less noticeable on the outside of your stomach. VNS A vagus nerve simulation is a device placed cod people who have different types of seizures or have other issues with their brain. The VNS has a battery that’s in your chest and two leads connected to it one goes to the heart the other to the vagus Nerve which leads to the brain. They regulate active in your brain and heart. Think of it in terms of a pacemaker for your brain instead of heart. “Flush” Is a syringes with saline in it. Or salt and water mixed together. You use this to push the medication through a central line or IV you can mix the meds with the saline as well. Saline flushes are very useful and you have to have them to take iv medicines. This is a feed bag. Which is basically a bag that you put the feed in and it can connect to a feeding tube pump. So a 500ml bag holds most of my foood for the day.
So I hope this helps you learn the lingo of people who deal with these things daily. From feeding tubes to central lines. Got more you want to learn ask I’m always willing to answer even if they
Shayweasel 