Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) - 8 years of clinical experience in 232 patients

Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is now a standard method for providing long-term enteral nutrition in patients who are unable to swallow. The aim of our study was to document clinical data that would allow prediction of a possible complicated clinical course. Methods: The study was carried out retrospectively. Clinical data of patients having received a PEG tube by a single endoscopic technique were analyzed. Results: Some 5.17% of 232 patients showed complications requiring surgery including a mortality rate of 0.43%. Patients with complications had a significantly lower body mass index and there was a significantly higher complication rate in patients having obstructive malignancies compared with benign diseases. Conclusions: Low body mass index and advanced malignancies are predictors for complications after PEG application. Early installation should help prevent further nutritional deterioration and the related risk of complications.