Percutaneous gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy: additional experience in 519 procedures.

PURPOSE

To assess the efficacy and safety of radiologically guided percutaneous placement of gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy catheters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Over 6 years, 562 referred patients were considered for gastrojejunostomy or gastrostomy procedures. In 43 cases (7.7%), the procedure was not performed because of overlying viscera, high position of the stomach, or massive ascites. In 478 patients, 519 procedures were performed.

RESULTS

Of 507 attempted gastrojejunostomy procedures, 482 (95.1%) were successful, 14 (2.8%) catheters could not be advanced through the pylorus and necessitated gastrostomies, and 11 (2.2%) were technical failures. Twelve gastrostomy tubes were placed for decompression, with a 100% success rate. Thirty-day follow-up data were available for 457 procedures: The 30-day mortality rate was 17.1% (71 of 416 patients). There were two gastrostomy-related deaths. The overall major and minor complication rates were 1.3% and 2.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy are safe and effective methods of providing short- or long-term enteral nutrition or upper gastrointestinal tract decompression.