GASTROSTOMY TUBES AFTER GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGIC SURGERY

In order to prevent the complications of long-term nasogastric suction ing and increase patient comfort, we have been using gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) in gynecologic oncology patients who are deemed to be at ri sk for protracted postoperative bowel dysfunction. This study describe s our patient selection criteria and evaluates the results with 35 MIC (Medical Innovation Corporation, Milpitas, CA) gastrostomy tubes inse rted between September 1, 1992 and April 30, 1993. The procedure is te chnically easy and adds approximately 10 min to operating time. The tu bes were well tolerated by the patients over periods ranging from 5 to 135 days. All tubes were used for postoperative gastric drainage and in addition, eight tubes were used for short-term enteral feeding. One patient with short bowel syndrome continued enteral nutritional suppl ementation at home. Twenty patients were discharged with their G-tubes in situ. Five of these patients required continuous gastric drainage because of obstruction of gastric emptying or small bowel by advanced tumor, and four of them were taking full liquids orally prior to disch arge from the hospital. Gastrostomy tubes are convenient adjuncts to p ostoperative care of the gynecologic oncology patient and afford palli ation with few complications to patients dying with bowel obstruction. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.