Operative versus endoscopic gastrostomy. Preliminary results of a prospective randomized trial.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in 23 patients was compared with operative gastrostomy in 25 patients in a prospective randomized fashion. Procedure-related morbidity occurred in five patients in each group. Tube feeding was initiated within 48 hours in 96 percent of the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy group and in 82 percent of the operative gastrostomy group (p less than 0.1). There were no deaths in the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy group, but two patients in the operative gastrostomy group died within 30 days of operation (p less than 0.1). Neither death appeared directly attributable to gastrostomy placement. The cost for a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was less than that of an operative gastrostomy ($757 versus $1,446); however, if endoscopically placed tubes required replacement, as was seen in six patients, total percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy cost increased to $1,198. Definitive conclusions regarding the superiority of one technique over the other cannot be drawn from this data. Trends favoring the use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy merit continued study.