STOMAL SEEDING OF HEAD AND NECK-CANCER BY PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY TUBE PLACEMENT

Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes have repla ced nasogastric tubes and Stamm gastrostomy tubes as a preferred means of feeding for patients with head and neck cancers, as recommended by the results of large series, A patient with stomal seeding of squamou s cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract by PEG placement was reported, A review of literature was performed. Methods: A Medline se arch of implantation of squamous cell carcinoma from the upper aerodig estive tract to PEG exit site since the introduction of PEG was perfor med. Results: Two reports of implantation of squamous cell carcinoma o f the upper aerodigestive tract to PEG exit site were found, Both pati ents and our patient were staged T4. Conclusions: Implantation of squa mous cell carcinoma from the upper aerodigestive tract to the PEG exit site is a rare and late complication, Its prevalence is not known, Fo r patients with a significant amount of squamous cell carcinoma in the upper aerodigestive tract, we recommend Stamm gastrostomy over PEG in sertion by the pull technique, There is no report of such late complic ation by the push technique.