[The risks of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy].
OBJECTIVE
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) having established itself as the standard procedure and preferred method for artificial long-term intestinal nutrition, a retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the complications and course after PEG.


METHODS
1299 patients in whom PEG had been performed between 1.8. 1984 and 1.8. 1993 were sent a standardised questionnaire, 1182 of which could be evaluated (954 males, 228 females; mean age 56.7 [3-94] years).


RESULTS
Total duration of PEG was 279830 days, with a mean of 216.2 days per patient. Mortality rate due to the procedure was 0.5%. Severe complications (peritonitis, perforation or faulty puncture) occurred in 9 patients (0.9%). The most common relatively minor complications were peristomal wound infection (8.7%) and brief periods of abdominal pain (4.8%). Typical side effects specific to nutrition were gastrointestinal symptoms, like constipation, diarrhoea, meteorism, vomiting and other signs of illness (39.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term intestinal nutrition via PEG is a safe, efficacious and cost-effective form of treatment which decreases demands on hospital care and reduces costs.
Gossner
L
L
Medizinische Universitätsklinik I mit Poliklinik, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
Ludwig
J
J
Hahn
E G
EG
Ell
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
Risiken der perkutanen endoskopischen Gastrostomie.