Enteral nutritional support by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in children with congenital heart disease

One of the major problems of children with severe congenital heart disease (CHD) is their poor nutritional status. Among other consequences, it influe nces the surgical outcome. Retrospectively we present our experience with p ercutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in 15 children with CHD. This tech nique allows enteral nutritional support without the disadvantages related to long-term nasogastric tube feeding. Major complications were absent, and minor complications were rare both at PEG insertion, which was performed u nder deep sedation, and during feeding via PEG tube. In 4 of the 8 children who were followed for at least 6 months the age-matched body weight increa sed more than one standard deviation. In 2 other patients it increased more than 0.5 standard deviations. In 7 children the tube was removed after 2.5 to 42 months since enteral support was no longer necessary. Apart from ini tial reservations the parental acceptance of PEG was good. We conclude that the PEG is a safe and reliable technique to support enteral nutrition in c hildren with severe CHD.