title: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in elderly patients.
abstract: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was performed on 28 elderly patients (mean age 82 years) who were dysphagic and intolerant of naso-gastric feeding. Twenty-six patients were recovering from a stroke; the interval between the onset of stroke and PEG averaged 63 days. The procedure was successful and well tolerated by all patients. Nineteen (68%) still had a functioning PEG a median of 14 weeks after placement. One patient whose swallowing recovered had the tube removed 6 months after its insertion. Seven patients (25%) subsequently died from their underlying disease, a mean of 92 days following PEG. There was one procedure-related death from peritonitis. PEG is a useful alternative to surgical gastrostomy in selected elderly patients with dysphagia who are intolerant of naso-gastric feeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Finucane
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005773:Gastroscopy; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male