Peritoneal leakage of gastric contents, a rare complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.
BACKGROUND
A 94-year-old man underwent a routine percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy but 7 days later developed abdominal pain and died of a previously unreported late complication.


METHODS
A case report of the main clinical and pathological findings and a brief discussion of the significance of the case.


RESULTS
Postmortem examination revealed a chemical peritonitis due to leakage of 2.8 L of formula into the peritoneal cavity through an enlarged gastrostomy hole around a correctly positioned tube.


CONCLUSIONS
This is a previously unreported complication that occurred because of repeated pulling on the tube by a confused patient, causing a loss of the usual apposition of the gastric and the anterior abdominal walls. The importance of the case is to emphasize that late, even fatal, complications can occur until a permanent fibrous tract has been formed between the skin and the gastric wall.
Haslam
N
N
Department of Medicine, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Hughes
S
S
Harrison
R F
RF
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004724:Endoscopy; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology*