Aim of study: 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.
Patients and 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%).
Conclusion: 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.