What is Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Tube Placement?
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement is a medical procedure that creates a direct access to the stomach through the abdominal wall for providing nutrition, fluids, and medications to patients who cannot eat or drink by mouth.
Indications for PEG Tube
- Long-term feeding support
- Neurological conditions affecting swallowing
- Head and neck cancers
- Severe dysphagia
- Prolonged coma or altered consciousness
Procedure Steps
- Pre-procedure assessment and preparation
- Endoscopic examination of stomach
- Selection of insertion site on abdomen
- Local anesthesia administration
- Creation of small incision
- Tube placement under endoscopic guidance
Post-Procedure Care
- Regular monitoring of insertion site
- Daily cleaning and dressing changes
- Checking tube position and patency
- Starting tube feeds as prescribed
- Patient and caregiver education
Potential Complications
- Infection at insertion site
- Bleeding
- Tube displacement
- Aspiration
- Peritonitis
- Buried bumper syndrome
Long-term Management
- Regular tube maintenance
- Monitoring nutritional status
- Periodic tube replacement
- Management of complications
- Assessment for return to oral feeding
Contraindications
- Severe coagulopathy
- Peritonitis
- Ascites
- Gastric varices
- Previous gastric surgery
- Morbid obesity