[The risks of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy].

AIM OF STUDY

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) having established itself as the standard procedure and preferred method for artificial long-term intestinal nutrition, a retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the complications and course after PEG.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

1299 patients in whom PEG had been performed between 1.8. 1984 and 1.8. 1993 were sent a standardised questionnaire, 1182 of which could be evaluated (954 males, 228 females; mean age 56.7 [3-94] years).

RESULTS

Total duration of PEG was 279830 days, with a mean of 216.2 days per patient. Mortality rate due to the procedure was 0.5%. Severe complications (peritonitis, perforation or faulty puncture) occurred in 9 patients (0.9%). The most common relatively minor complications were peristomal wound infection (8.7%) and brief periods of abdominal pain (4.8%). Typical side effects specific to nutrition were gastrointestinal symptoms, like constipation, diarrhoea, meteorism, vomiting and other signs of illness (39.3%).

CONCLUSION

Long-term intestinal nutrition via PEG is a safe, efficacious and cost-effective form of treatment which decreases demands on hospital care and reduces costs.