Last update:
   21-Jul-2008
 

Arch Hellen Med, 25(3), May-June 2008, 356-362

ORIGINAL PAPER

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. The clinical experience in the University Hospital of Patras

K. VAGENAS,1 N. KARAMANAKOS,1 E. KATSAKOULIS,2 A. LOUKIDI,1 S. PANAGIOTOPOULOS,1 M. KARANIKOLAS,3 F. KALFARENTZOS1
1Department of Surgery, Nutrition Support and Morbid Obesity Clinic
2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology
3Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital of Rio, Patras, Greece

OBJECTIVE In the past decade percutaneous endoscopic gastroscopy (PEG) has displaced surgical gastrostomy as the method of choice for long-term enteral nutrition. The aim of this study was to present clinical experience with the PEGs and to evaluate outcome.

METHOD Between December 1999 and July 2006, 79 patients, 53 males and 26 females, mean age 59.6 (range 11-92) years, underwent PEG. The patients presented in this study suffered mainly from dysphagia due to stroke, or feeding difficulty due to head and neck malignancy. The pull method with silicon Wilson-Cook tube was applied.

RESULTS Periprocedural morbidity was low (2.85%). The overall morbidity was 37.1% with an increased tendency for the development of pressure sores (14.28%) and buried bumber syndrome (2.85%).

CONCLUSIONS The experience of this department, in accordance with the literature, demonstrates that PEG is a safe and effective technique for patients requiring long-term enteral nutrition, which, and although it does not prolong life, is of benefit in improving the quality of life for some patients.

Key words: Enteral nutrition, Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

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