Treatment Strategies For Krabbe Disease

Use Of A Gastric Tube

The use of a gastric tube can help provide nutritional support for patients with Krabbe disease. This tube, which is inserted through the abdomen, delivers nutrients and fluids directly to the patient's stomach. They're commonly used in children with a variety of illnesses that make it difficult to take nutrition and fluids through the mouth. Gastrostomies are commonly performed and generally take about thirty to forty-five minutes. Children who have a gastric tube inserted usually only need a day or two of recovery time in the hospital. The stomach has to be empty before the procedure. For children and infants, the procedure is usually performed with general anesthesia, though if general anesthesia is dangerous for the patient, deep sedation is used. This type of sedation keeps the patient from being aware of the procedure, but they don't have the same level of deep sedation found in general anesthesia.