PERCUTANEOUS FEEDING TUBE PLACEMENT IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS - IMMEDIATEAND 30-DAY RESULTS

PURPOSE: To evaluate fluoroscopically guided percutaneous feeding tube placement in pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one pro cedures were performed, Periprocedural care protocol was changed after patient nine. Forty-eight-hour and 30-day outcomes were assessed. RES ULTS: Almost 97% of procedures were successful, The 48-hour major and minor complication rates were 1.9% and 9.6%, respectively, after the i nitial nine procedures. Risk factors for early complications were the use of the initial care protocol (P < .01) and patient weight below th e 50th percentile (P < .05). Major and minor 30-day complication rates were 8.3% and 12.0%, respectively. Risk factors for delayed complicat ions were placement of a gastrojejunostomy tube rather than a gastrost omy tube (P < .05) and immunosuppression (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Percut aneous feeding tubes can be placed in children with a high rate of tec hnical success. Optimal results require attention to periprocedural ca re. Morbidity is common during the first month of tube use.