Meet Our Patients
Tyler:
Short Colon | Long Life at Home
Less than 6cm colon, yet long life at home
Jennie was 22 weeks pregnant when an ultrasound showed her unborn son's abdomen organs protruded outside his body. Ten weeks later, Tyler was born via c-section. Physicians removed all but an estimated 6 cm of his small bowel. (A normal small intestine is 200 to 250 cm for an infant his age.) From the start, Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) gave Tyler complete nutrition support administered through his veins.
Hospital or home?
When Tyler was two months old, doctors told Jennie that he could either remain in the hospital or she could bring him home with health care support. Either way, he wasn't expected to live long.
Jennie chose home, and PHS. PHS provided materials, supplies, education, monitoring and support to administer TPN and enteral nutrition. Tyler returned to the hospital when he was 4 ½ months old for surgery to reconnect his bowel with his colon. His bowel had grown to nearly 40 cm.
Liver falters, mom steps up
Tyler remained on TPN until his liver faltered. Jennie led efforts to switch Tyler to a g-tube inserted directly into his stomach and continued homecare through PHS.
Today, Tyler requires only oral supplements to meet his needs, and he's years past his original life expectancy with an optimistic future.
Born:
2002
Diagnosis:
Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS), gastroschisis
Challenge:
Two surgeries within 16 hours of birth left Tyler with an extremely short bowel (6cm) and little hope for survival
Solution:
Partnering with health care professionals, PHS clinical team members worked to decrease TPN feedings through a central line and increase enteral feedings into Tyler's stomach with a food pump
Result:
Tyler is now six-years-old and no longer needs g-tube feedings
"Tyler's mom led the team that cared for her son. Her love, support, and instinct to fight for her son's survival allowed us to be aggressive with his care and ensure that he will continue to exceed everyone's expectations." -Janelle Peterson, RD, LD, CNSD
