Long-term Outcome After Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Children

BackgroundPercutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is widely accepted as the preferred procedure to establish long-term enteral feeding.ObjectiveTo learn the long-term outcomes of the patients who have undergone PEG placement, we reviewed our experience with children who underwent this procedure in our institute.MethodsA total of 83 pediatric patients (42 males and 41 females), who were aged from 3 months to 20 years, underwent PEG insertion in National Taiwan University Hospital from January 2000 to April 2011. The underlying diseases of the patients receiving PEG were neurological dysfunction (n = 67), metabolic disorders (n = 9), gastrointestinal disease (n = 2), and congenital heart disease (n = 1). This procedure was performed under intravenous sedation or under general anesthesia. Prophylactic antibiotics were administered for 1 day. Tube feeding began 24 hours after the PEG placement. The body weight of the patients was recorded 1 day before PEG placement and at least 6 months after PEG placement.ResultsThe weight-for-age Z-score before and at 6 months after PEG placement were −1.5 ± 2.0 and −0.9 ± 2.1, respectively, which was statistically significant (paired t test, p = 0.006). The catch-up growth was recorded after PEG placement. Complications of PEG in our patients included cellulitis at the gastrostomy wound (n = 14), dislodgement of the tube (n = 17), and persistent gastrocutaneous fistula (n = 3). The PEG tube was removed permanently in seventeen patients because they resumed an adequate oral intake. During the follow-up period, 14 patients died of an underlying disease or infection.ConclusionOur experience confirmed that PEG placement is a good long-term route for nutritional supply with no serious complications in children.