PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY IN CHILDREN - INFLUENCE ON GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX

Objective. Few data exist in the literature about the relationship bet ween percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and gastroesophageal re flux (GER) in children, and the data that do exist are contradictory. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of PEG on GER. Methods. Twenty children underwent PEG for enteral nutrition. They we re 55 +/- 55 months old and weighed 13 +/- 10 kg. A pH study was perfo rmed before and after PEG without treatment when GER status was unknow n (n = 10) or under treatment (n = 10) if previous GER was demonstrate d. In these cases, the pH study was performed under the same treatment before and after PEG. Results. Six pH studies had abnormal results be fore PEG. After PEG, the GER of these 6 children significantly improve d after the treatment was intensified (n = 5) or spontaneously normali zed (n = 1). Results of 13 pH studies that were previously normal rema ined normal. Only one child with a normal reflux index before PEG had GER after it. For the 20 children, the mean reflux index did not chang e significantly after PEG (5.5% vs 5.6%). Conclusion. Contrary to surg ical gastrostomy, PEG does not worsen GER. Therefore, GER is not a con traindication to PEG.