title: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in the management of head and neck carcinoma.
abstract: In patients undergoing resection of head and neck malignancies, structural and functional deficits commonly preclude adequate oral nutrition and prolong hospital stay. To address this issue, the benefit of routine preoperative placement of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was studied in a group of these patients. The postoperative course of 89 patients undergoing primary resection of advanced (stage III and IV) squamous cell carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract was examined. The hospital stay was reduced by up to 61% with PEG compared to hospital stay with standard nasogastric tube (NGT) alimentation. The difference was statistically significant for primary sites involving the larynx and pharynx, but not for lesions of the oral cavity. For tongue base tumors, there was a trend toward reduced hospitalization which did not reach statistical significance. The fistulization rate was unchanged. The complication rate for PEG was 5%, and morbidity was less with PEG than with NGT. The authors recommend the preoperative placement of PEGs for all patients with advanced carcinomas of the larynx, hypopharynx, and oropharynx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Wenig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005402:Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016331:Parenteral Nutrition, Home; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology