Background: Percutaneous or surgical insertion of gastrostomy tubes for fee
ding children has been well described. However, there is no report of percu
taneous gastrostomy for chronic decompression in children with chronic gast
rointestinal obstruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate this
technique.
Methods: Eighteen gastrostomies were performed for gastrointestinal decompr
ession in children. The patients ranged in age from 2 to 125 months (median
: 15.5). and all had prolonged hospital stays for severe disease: severe ga
stroparesis and/or duodenal dysmotility (n = 8), duodenal stenosis (n = 2),
chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (n = 4), enterocolitis (n = 2), and
metastatic abdominal carcinomatosis (n = 2). The duration of symptoms befor
e gastrostomy placement ranged from 0.5 to 44 months (median: 2), with majo
r symptoms including epigastric pain, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, and
bloating.
Results: The goals of gastric decompression and removal of the nasogastric
tube were achieved in all patients, and all had significant relief of both
nausea and emesis. Oral intake of liquids and soft foods was possible in 17
of 18 of the children. The tubes were kept in place for a median of 22.5 m
onths (range, 2-73). There was neither long-term morbidity nor mortality as
sociated with the presence of the tube. Seventeen patients returned home wi
th gastric decompression and cyclic parenteral nutrition, two of them for t
erminal care. Six patients died. In all patients, gastrostomy was used thro
ughout and did not contribute to the death of the patients. For seven child
ren, tubes were removed because of resolution of small bowel or gastric out
let obstruction.
Conclusions: Gastrostomy is an efficient and well-tolerated method of achie
ving long-term gastric decompression in children with abdominal obstruction
not amenable to surgery and/ or resistant to medical treatment.