Hi,
Thank you for posting your query.
Your mother can live on glucose/saline drip for a few days at most, and for long term feeding,
feeding tube is required. This is because all the essential nutrients can not be given by the drips.
Another option is PEG tube (
percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy), where a tube can be inserted via the stomach, and this can be left permanently or can be closed, if swallowing improves later.
Please get back if you require any additional information.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad,
My personal URL on this website: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My email: drsudhirkumar@yahoo.com