Complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

OBJECTIVE

To report our experience of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy with particular reference to complications and tube dysfunction.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Teaching hospital, Denmark.

SUBJECTS: 135 patients who required 178 gastrostomy tubes between 1.1.1990 and 30.6.1994.

INTERVENTION: 101 patients had the tubes inserted by the introducer technique and 34 by the pull-through method.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complications and incidence of tube dysfunction.

RESULTS

The overall complication rate was 43/135 (32%), including tube dysfunction; 17 (13%) developed a serious complication (intraperitoneal leakage, wound infection, or subcutaneous emphysema) and 6 died (4%). In each case the introducer had been used. 28 patients (21%) had a non-functioning tube exchanged sometimes more than once. The mean life-span of the tubes were 3.8 months, and seemed to be independent of the technique chosen for introduction. 66 patients (49%) died with a functioning tube. 24 (18%) died within a month of the insertion.

CONCLUSION

serious complications leading to laparotomy, wound infection, or intraperitoneal abscess developed in 17 patients (13%), in all of whom the introducer technique had been used. The safer pull-through technique is therefore recommended.