Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
A G-tube (gastrostomy tube) is a feeding tube that enters the stomach through the abdominal wall. This page is written for clinic staff, buyers and students who need to tell the tube classes apart and read product listings correctly. It sorts G-tubes three ways: by internal retention, by how the tube was placed, and by the FDA product categories that appear on regulatory records and supply listings.
What a G-tube is
A G-tube is a small, flexible, hollow tube placed through the skin of the abdomen into the stomach. MedlinePlus describes the tube as small, flexible and hollow. The FDA places it in a broader device group: 21 CFR 876.5980 defines a gastrointestinal tube as “a device that consists of flexible or semi-rigid tubing used for instilling fluids into, withdrawing fluids from, splinting, or suppressing bleeding of the alimentary tract,” and the group may incorporate an integral inflatable balloon for retention or hemostasis.
Who uses it: patients who receive enteral nutrition, and the clinicians, caregivers and supply buyers who manage the tubes and their accessories.
How G-tubes are built: the internal retention mechanism
The main structural difference between G-tubes is the part that holds the tube in the stomach. A 2026 paper in Nutrition in Clinical Practice states that “G-tubes vary by method of placement and internal retention mechanism.” It describes two designs.
| Design | Internal retention | Placement method reported with it |
|---|---|---|
| Solid internal fixator tube | Solid mushroom-shaped internal fixator | Endoscopic placement |
| Balloon G-tube (BGT) | Sterile water-filled balloon internal fixator | Laparoscopic or radiographic placement |
The same paper reports mechanical complication rates as high as 30%, most commonly tube occlusion, breakage and dislodgement. Its description of the two designs is the basis for the table above.
Types and variants
Long tube versus low-profile button
Some G-tubes extend outside the abdomen; low-profile “button” devices sit close to the skin. Sizes, balloon fill volumes and the gastrostomy-jejunostomy button are covered in G-tube buttons, so they are not repeated here.
Gastrostomy versus other feeding routes
A nasogastric (NG) tube reaches the stomach through the nose instead of the abdominal wall; see gastrostomy tube vs nasogastric tube. A tube that delivers feeding past the stomach is compared in jejunostomy tube vs gastrostomy tube.
FDA product categories for G-tubes
Supply listings and regulatory records use FDA product codes rather than clinical type names. Under 21 CFR 876.5980 the openFDA classification database lists the following gastrostomy-related codes. These are FDA regulatory categories, not clinical subtypes, and all are Class II.
| Product code | Name in the FDA database | Class |
|---|---|---|
| PRP | Balloon Gastrostomy Tube Kit | II |
| PSG | Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Kit | II |
| PSF | Non-Balloon Replacement Gastrostomy System | II |
| PSH | Percutaneous Replacement Gastrostomy Tube Kit | II |
| PSK | Replacement Gastrostomy Feeding Catheter Tray | II |
| PSD | Laparoscopic Gastrostomy Kit | II |
| PRY | Gastrostomy Jejunostomy Feeding Tube Kit | II |
| PRZ | Gastrostomy Tube Kit | II |
| PRX | Gastrostomy Guide Wire Placement Kit | II |
| FPD | Tube, Feeding | II |
| KNT | Tubes, Gastrointestinal (And Accessories) | II |
The names line up with the retention designs above: the balloon kit code (PRP) and the non-balloon replacement system (PSF), and the endoscopic (PSG) and laparoscopic (PSD) placement kits. Other codes under the same regulation cover enteral-specific connectors on gastrointestinal tubes (PIF), enteral syringes (PNR) and transition connectors (PIO).
Safe use and handling basics
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and the care team’s directions for the specific tube. Because tubes differ in retention design, check the labelling of the exact product. For accessories and common problems, see feeding tube clogs, feeding tube pumps and feeding tube bags.
Common mistakes
- Treating FDA product codes as clinical types. They describe regulated kits and accessories, not a patient-level classification.
- Assuming every G-tube has the same retention design. Solid-fixator and balloon tubes are built differently, so check the product labelling.
- Mixing up G-tubes and NG tubes. They enter by different routes and have separate sizing information.
FAQ
What is a feeding tube?
A feeding tube is a flexible tube used for instilling fluids into the digestive tract. The FDA lists “feeding tube” among the devices covered by 21 CFR 876.5980. See what is a feeding tube for the full overview.
What is an NG tube?
An NG (nasogastric) tube is a gastrointestinal tube that reaches the stomach through the nose; the FDA names “nasogastric tube” in the same regulation as the G-tube. See what is a nasogastric tube.
How do you measure an NG tube?
Measuring for an NG tube is part of a placement procedure done by a trained clinician, so this page gives no measuring steps. For the sizes of adult NG tubes, see NG tube sizes for adults.
Sources
- 21 CFR 876.5980, Gastrointestinal tube and accessories, Legal Information Institute: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/876.5980 (checked 2026-10-30).
- openFDA device classification database, regulation number 876.5980: https://api.fda.gov/device/classification.json?search=regulation_number:876.5980 (checked 2026-10-30).
- McGrath K, et al. Gastrostomy tube care, replacement, and removal: Expanding the registered dietitian nutritionist scope of practice. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 2026; PMC13419034; DOI 10.1002/ncp.70152: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13419034/ (checked 2026-10-30).
- MedlinePlus, Gastrostomy feeding tube: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002937.htm (checked 2026-10-30).
