PEG--percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy is simply a plastic tube, placed in the stomach and passed through both the wall of the stomach and abdomen with the aid of a gastroscope, therefore avoiding the need for a laparotomy to form a gastrostomy. Egeberg proposed surgical gastrostomy in 1837. This was not carried out successfully until 1876 by Verneuil. The procedure, however, requires laparotomy and anaesthesia with its associated risks. The first gastrostomy without the need for a laparotomy is reported to have been performed in 1979 by Gauderer and Ponsky at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, USA. In 1980 they described the technique. Since then a variety of kits with which to perform the procedure have become available. PEG can be used for long term enteral nutrition or as an intermediate stage between Total Parentral Nutrition (TPN) and normal feeding. An important requirement is a successfully accomplished gastroscopy.