title: Internal cross-piece recovery after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.
abstract: To retrieve the internal cross-piece during removal of a Ponsky-Gauderer PEG, we have sutured the cross-piece to the end of the gastrostomy catheter prior to its insertion endoscopically. As the tube is withdrawn, the internal cross-piece slides off the catheter and remains in the stomach. The cross-piece is then removed by pulling on the suture connecting it to the gastrostomy tube. This simple and safe modification eliminates any risk of gastrointestinal obstruction secondary to a retained cross-piece.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Westwood 90024-1749.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Doty
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans