title: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital experience.
abstract: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was performed on 32 patients (mean age 75 years) who were dysphagic but enteral alimentation was possible. Seventeen patients were recovering from a stroke; the interval between the onset of stroke and PEG averaged 44 days. The procedure was successful and well tolerated by 16 of these 17 patients. Ten patients (31%) still had a functioning PEG, a median of 30 weeks after placement. Seven patients whose swallowing recovered had their tubes removed an average of 3 months after their insertion. Fifteen patients (47%) subsequently died from their underlying disease, a mean of 126 days following PEG. There were no deaths directly related to catheter placement. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a useful alternative to surgical gastrostomy in elderly patients with long-term oral feeding problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sali
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McQuillan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conboy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D011183:Postoperative Complications