Catheter traction and gastric outlet obstruction: a repeated complication of using a Foley catheter for gastrostomy tube replacement.

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a safe procedure and major morbidity is unusual. However, the number of PEG fed patients is increasing all over the world and complications may become more and more frequent.

CASE REPORT

We describe a 73 years old woman with persistent vomit after replacement of the standard PEG tube with a Foley catheter. An upper GI endoscopy showed the catheter pulled into the duodenum causing gastric outlet obstruction. It was removed and replaced by a suitable standard PEG tube, allowing PEG feeding to be resumed.

DISCUSSION

Previous reports pointed the risk of this complication, almost always associated with insertion of a Foley-type catheter. Replacement of PEG tubes should be performed by experienced teams using standard PEG tubes and the use of Foley-type catheters for this purpose should be banned from routine practice.