Jane

Unfortunately, the standard procedure at most hospitals is to use a Foley catheter when a feeding tube falls out if it's an "emergency" , even though as Christine points out its diameter is too small for enteral feeding. While there is some tiny leakage from the stoma (hole in the stomach), it should be barely noticeable. Like Christine, my knowledge of feeding tubes was earned the hard way. The doctor's guess that the balloon and tube were defective is probably right. I had terrible problems with my balloons breaking or not fitting snugly.
If her doctor cannot get a properly fitting G or J/G tube in, ask him about parental infusion. In parenteral, or PN, nutrients are delivered intravenously and the GI tract is bypassed entirely. PN is given through a catheter which carries the liquid directly into the bloodstream, where it is absorbed by the body. Your doctor may know it by its the older terms TPN (total parenteral nutrition) or HA (hyperalimentation). This would let your mother avoid these stomach issues.
Sorry to hear about all this
Charm