Can tube feeding save grandma's life?

Experts generally agree that tube feeding is a good idea in certain medical situations. However, when patients have advanced dementia, studies have not shown that tube feeding improves the length of life or quality of life. So tube feeding, while it may seem like a good solution, may not make grandma live longer. In some cases, tube feeding can result in negative consequences that can actually result in harm...things like infection around the tube site or intolerance of feeding that causes nausea, vomiting, or diarhea. Patients that are tube fed may also be more likely to get aspiration pneumonia, a condition that is a result of food or fluids going into the lungs rather than down the esophagus and into the stomach. Tube feeding is not just considered nutrition, it is considered a medical intervention, like other medical interventions such as dialysis or use of a ventilator for breathing. Placment of a feeding tube requires minor surgery and transportation to a hospital or clinic, which can be difficult and traumatic for some elderly and/or confused patients. These are all issues that should be considered when a family is making a decision "to feed or not to feed".