Dr. Thomas Finucane, a nationally recognized expert practicing Geriatric Medicine at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, challenges that easy assumption. Randomized trials are the gold standard for evaluating whether treatments are effective. Such trials are generally lacking with respect to tube feeding. Other data, some quite persuasive, have been developed, and these studies are virtually unanimous in showing lack of effectiveness. Several lines of evidence suggest that tube feeding will not prolong survival when compared to a conscientious effort at hand feeding.
Death rates are very high in the days and months after feeding tubes are placed.
Aspiration pneumonia usually arises from inadvertent inhalation of either contaminated oral secretions or of regurgitated gastric contents. Tube feeding could not be expected to prevent either of these events. Pressure sores have not been shown to improve when tube feeding is given. Once feedings are initiated, patients will produce more urine and stool, which are definite risk factors for pressure sores. Risk of infection has not been reduced among tube fed patients.