Cathaters, and stomache tubes?

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#1 Post by **changes09** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:30 am

If you are having bdouble jaw surgery I heard that they put a tube from your nose to your stomache during surgery. I also heard that they might have to keep it in you for a day or two to keep you from throwing up. Is this true? To remove the tube do they put you asleep. Is it painful or uncomfortble?
And about the cathater. Do you always get one? Or only if you are going to be in surgery for a long time?

#2 Post by **Skitters** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:56 am

I can only tell you what my personal experience was. I had double jaw surgery and yes, I had a tube down my nose and a catheter, however, I was asleep when they put them in, and they took them out before I woke up so neither one was a big deal at all.

#3 Post by **Emaciated** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:07 am

The tube does go in your nose but it doesn't go to your stomach, it goes to your lung so you can breath with all the instruments, hands, water, blood in your mouth during the procedure. It is uncomfortable but no, its not painful and does not "hurt" when the remove it. Its just a weird feeling that you will not need to be knocked out for.

They counter the vomiting risk with anti-nausea meds put into your IV, plus you not have eaten and will have nothing but liquid in your stomach anyway so even if you throw up after they band you shut you're not going to choke or suffocate.

I'm not sure about everyone else but I had a catheter and was quite upset to find it still in when I woke up because I was told I would never know it was there. Typically (if you receive one) they insert it after you're knocked out, and then remove it before you wake up. I can't remember why I still had mine in, I think it was related to the amount of blood I lost or the amount of time I was under but I had to hang out with that thing for about 5 or 6 hours post-op. It doesn't hurt and you don't really know it there as long as you stay lying down. Its actually sort of convenient in retrospect because you don't have to get out of bed and you don't even know you're going to the bathroom because it goes directly into your bladder. You just sit there and your bag fills up. TMI?

I will admit that it is a bit uncomfortable coming out but its nothing to be fearful of in the slightest, it just feels like you're peeing for about 2 seconds and then you're done. "Reinsertion" is what I was freaked out about which occurs if you don't pee on your own after 5 hours from the point that they remove the catheter. I had this horrid nurse who totally freaked me out about it and said things like "Oh, trust me, you'll want to urinate, you don't want to be awake for that!" and "When the hand on that clock hits 5, you better have urinated or you'll be sorry."

Anyway, I urinated a river after that and didn't have to worry about it, but the catheter is nothing to fear at all. If, when you wake up from surgery, the nurse tells you you have a catheter in, it should be the least of your worries. Your highest priority should be making your comfortable with breathing, pain, swelling, etc.

#4 Post by **Graceful58** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:32 pm

I had the tube down my nose and the funny thing was the anesthesiologist came to me with the tube all vaselined up and asked me if I wanted to put it in or if I wanted her to put it in...I was like...WHAT??? She said it wasn't that bad and if I wanted to try which I did and I coudlnt' do it...but then she slid it right in. Granted this was after she had me use a nasal spray in both nostrils to open them wide and then she came back a few moments later and asked me which side seemed more opened and that's the side the tube went in. She slid it in with no problem.

I also was told by my OS that I wouldnt' have a catheter and when I was in recovery I heard one of the nurses say..."we should go ahead and remove the catheter before she goes to her room. It didn't hurt at all as I was still heavly sedated...LOL...but that is the only thing I remember in recovery...besides them saying..."Wow...she's really hot and sweaty and they changed my gown into a dry one. Well...you'd be really hot and sweaty too if you were under those strong lights they use and they put this ugly silver hat on your head to keep the heat in...LOL!!!

That was my experience for lower jaw advancement and chin reduction.

#5 Post by **ohmyjaw** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:01 pm

The tube does indeed go into your stomach - it is called a naso-gastric tube. It sucks out any blood that might end up going down your throat during surgery. I had mine in for the whole night after surgery, and yes it is uncomfortable but not painful. Also, I had a catheter in for the whole night after surgery. You probably won't even feel the catheter. I was awake when they took it out and it didn't hurt - was uncomfortable for a few seconds, that's all.

#6 Post by **changes09** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:23 pm

all right i am not as freaked out anymore. keyword: AS.
Thanks you guys. I guess a tube down in my lungs or stomache and a cathater will be the least of my worries

#7 Post by **Emaciated** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:07 pm

ohmyjaw wrote:The tube does indeed go into your stomach - it is called a naso-gastric tube. It sucks out any blood that might end up going down your throat during surgery.

Seriously?! Is that what that thing is?! That's pretty nasty! *laughs* I had mine in for awhile too. I didn't see any goop going through it though, I always assumed that was oxygen to help wake you up, cause once they pulled it out they slapped a huge oxygen tent on my face.

#8 Post by **Audra** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:08 pm

I haven't had my jaw surgery yet, but I did have an NG tube this past summer when I had a bowel obstruction. They put it in while I was awake - THAT was not fun. So getting one while you are asleep is much better. I had mine for about 5 days and they are uncomfortable - it's hard to swallow. You are not allowed to eat with one as they suck everything out of your stomache.

As everyone else here has said, these tubes and catheters I'm sure are the least of our worries

#9 Post by **FuzzyPants** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:58 pm

I had a tube put in after they knocked me out. It was removed before I woke up, in fact, if it weren't for my sore throat, I would not have known that I had one at all.

No catheter was needed in my case because the surgery was less than two hours. But they do make sure you can urinate before you can check out. No problems there considering the litres of fluids that get pumped into your veins.

Karl - your story about the horrid nurse is hilarious. She sounds like she could scare the pee out of you!

#10 Post by **SleazyG** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:08 pm

If you don't like catheters, don't have your surgery at UCLA. I can attest that they're very fond of catheters there. Yikes.