PERCUTANEOUS GASTROSTOMY AND GASTROJEJUNOSTOMY - ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE IN 519 PROCEDURES

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy and safety of radiologically guided pe rcutaneous placement of gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy catheters. M ATERIALS AND METHODS: Over 6 years, 562 referred patients were conside red for gastrojejunostomy or gastrostomy procedures. In 43 cases (7.7% ), the procedure was not performed because of overlying viscera, high position of the stomach, or massive ascites. In 478 patients, 519 proc edures were performed. RESULTS: Of 507 attempted gastrojejunostomy pro cedures, 482 (95.1%) were successful, 14 (2.8%) catheters could not be advanced through the pylorus and necessitated gastrostomies, and 11 ( 2.2%) were technical failures. Twelve gastrostomy tubes were placed fo r decompression, with a 100% success rate. Thirty-day follow-up data w ere available for 457 procedures: The 30-day mortality rate was 17.1% (71 of 416 patients). There were two gastrostomy-related deaths. The o verall major and minor complication rates were 1.3% and 2.9%, respecti vely. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy are s afe and effective methods of providing short- or long-term enteral nut rition or upper gastrointestinal tract decompression.