Enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and nutritional status of patients: five-year prospective study

Evaluation of 644 Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Patients in a Single Center

OBJECTIVE

Our study aimed to review and evaluate the indications, complications, complication-related risk factors, and mortality rates of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) performed in a single university hospital.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined hospital records of all 819 patients who underwent PEG between January 2010 and January 2019. Patients whose information was not available for various reasons, who had a history of gastrectomy, who were under 18 years old, and/or who had undergone PEG before, were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 65.12 ± 15.42 years, and the majority of the patients (60.6%) were female. In the vast majority of patients, the PEG indication was due to neurological causes (71.5%), among which the majority was a stroke. The overall complication rate in our study was 11.2%. The most common was a peristomal infection in 37 (5.7%) patients. Patients who were not under any antibiotic treatment and/or had diabetes mellitus had a higher risk for peristomal infection. Dementia increased the risk of tube dislodgement. The use of clopidogrel, the simultaneous use of aspirin and clopidogrel, and hypertension were independent risk factors for bleeding complications. The one-year mortality risk was significantly higher in patients who underwent PEG due to neurological causes compared to those who underwent PEG due to malignancy or other reasons (p = 0.021, p = 0.038, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The PEG procedure is a safe and feasible technique due to its low complication and mortality rate in patients with swallowing disorders who need long-term nutritional support.

Implementing an early feeding pathway post gastrostomy insertion reduces inpatient stay

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus regarding optimal postoperative feeding strategy following gastrostomy insertion in children. The aim of this study was to determine whether implementing an early postoperative feeding pathway reduces length of stay (LOS) without increasing complications.

METHODS

A retrospective case note review of all children having a new gastrostomy inserted during a one-year period prior to (July 2016-July 2017) and following (July 2017-July 2018) pathway introduction was performed. Children unable to follow the pathway for coexisting medical or nutritional reasons were excluded. The pathway comprised feeding 50% of normal feed 2 hours postprocedure, followed by 100% of normal feed at 5 and 8 h. Previously, patients were fed postoperatively according to surgeon preference.

RESULTS

116 cases met inclusion criteria, 55 prior to and 61 after pathway implementation. Children following the early feeding pathway had a shorter postoperative LOS than the historical group (median 28 vs 33 h, p < 0.003), while immediate (<72 h) and early (<30 day) complication rates were similar (8.2 vs 7.3%, p = 1.00 and 12 vs 16%, p = 0.59, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Early postoperative feeding after gastrostomy insertion is safe and reduces LOS.

TYPE OF STUDY

Quality improvement.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Nutritional assessment and post-procedural complications in older stroke patients after insertion of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy - a retrospective study

Background

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is one of the major complications of stroke and a risk factor for malnutrition and prolonged in-hospital stay.

Objective

The overall aim was to describe to what extent nutritional assessments (i.e. BMI kg/m², eating problem, and weight loss) were performed and documented in the records of older stroke patients treated with enteral nutrition by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). A secondary aim was to identify documented post-procedural complications after PEG insertion during hospital stay.

Design

The study is retrospective. Data were collected from records of 161 stroke patients ≥65 years, who received PEG, admitted to three stroke units during a 4-year period.

Results

Mean age of the patients was 82.2 (±7) years, and 86% of the patients were ≥75 years old. On admission, body weight was documented in 50% of the patients and at discharge in 38% of the patients. BMI data were not documented at all at discharge in one of the units. Almost 80% of the patients fulfilled the European Network criteria for multimorbidity. Morbidity and multimorbidity correlated to the length of stay (p<0.0005). Complications were reported in 111 (69%) of the patient records. In 53 patients (33%) more than one complication was reported. A total of 116 pressure ulcers were reported and 30 patients had more than one pressure ulcer. The number of complications was related to weight loss (p=0.046) and BMI change (p=0.018).

Conclusions

Essential information of the patient's nutritional status was poorly recorded which could affect the patient's nutritional treatment during the hospital stay. This study indicates that implementation of guidelines in patients with stroke is needed. The high number of pressure ulcers was an unexpected finding.

The challenges of home enteral tube feeding: a global perspective

The aim of this review is to provide a global perspective of Home Enteral Tube Feeding (HETF) and to outline some of the challenges of home enteral nutrition (HEN) provisions. It is well established that the number of patients on HETF is on the increase worldwide due to advances in technology, development of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy techniques, and the shift in care provisions from acute to community settings. While the significance of home enteral nutrition in meeting the nutritional requirements of patients with poor swallowing reflexes and those with poor nutritional status is not in doubt, differences exist in terms of funding, standards, management approaches and the level of infrastructural development across the world. Strategies for alleviating some of the challenges militating against the effective delivery of HETF including the development of national and international standards, guidelines and policies for HETF, increased awareness and funding by government at all levels were discussed. Others, including development of HEN services, which should create the enabling environment for multidisciplinary team work, clinical audit and research, recruitment and retention of specialist staff, and improvement in patient outcomes have been outlined. However, more research is required to fully establish the cost effectiveness of the HEN service especially in developing countries and to compare the organization of HEN service between developing and developed countries.

Complication and mortality rate after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy are low and indication-dependent

OBJECTIVE

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often used for the feeding of patients with malnutrition due to dysphagia, and despite more than 30 years experience, numerous questions on its benefit remain. This was a prospective observational study to assess the safety of PEG.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred and nineteen patients mean age 63 years (21-91 years) who were admitted to the Hannover Medical School between November 2010 and March 2012 and had an indication for PEG according to the German guidelines were included. Primary endpoints were the following: reason for indication, date of in-hospital mortality after PEG insertion, death within 3 months after PEG placement, and complications.

RESULTS

Most patients (54.6%) received PEG for dysphagia caused by tumors and second (29.4%) for neurologic diseases with a minor proportion of dementia (3%). About 73% of our patients had no complications at all and only 10% suffered severe effects. We saw only 1 case of aspiration, which did not lead to pneumonia. The 30-day mortality was 10%, and no patient died as a result of the PEG procedure. Significantly more patients with neurologic disorders died within 24 weeks of PEG placement than tumor patients (60% versus 27.7%, respectively, p = 0.002, n = 100).

CONCLUSION

It is important to select patients receiving PEG very carefully. The patients' indications, their primary disease, and their capability for mental cooperation are essential. If these aspects are taken into account, PEG is a safe method with few mainly mild complications.

ICU-acquired swallowing disorders

OBJECTIVES

Patients hospitalized in the ICU can frequently develop swallowing disorders, resulting in an inability to effectively transfer food, liquids, and pills from their mouth to stomach. The complications of these disorders can be devastating, including aspiration, reintubation, pneumonia, and a prolonged hospital length of stay. As a result, critical care practitioners should understand the optimal diagnostic strategies, proposed mechanisms, and downstream complications of these ICU-acquired swallowing disorders.

DATA SOURCES

Database searches and a review of the relevant medical literature.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A significant portion of the estimated 400,000 patients who annually develop acute respiratory failure, require endotracheal intubation, and survive to be extubated are determined to have dysfunctional swallowing. This group of swallowing disorders has multiple etiologies, including local effects of endotracheal tubes, neuromuscular weakness, and an altered sensorium. The diagnosis of dysfunctional swallowing is usually made by a speech-language pathologist using a bedside swallowing evaluation. Major complications of swallowing disorders in hospitalized patients include aspiration, reintubation, pneumonia, and increased hospitalization. The national yearly cost of swallowing disorders in hospitalized patients is estimated to be over $500 million. Treatment modalities focus on changing the consistency of food, changing mealtime position, and/or placing feeding tubes to prevent aspiration.

CONCLUSIONS

Swallowing disorders are costly and clinically important in a large population of ICU patients. The development of effective screening strategies and national diagnostic standards will enable further studies aimed at understanding the precise mechanisms for these disorders. Further research should also concentrate on identifying modifiable risk factors and developing novel treatments aimed at reducing the significant burden of swallowing dysfunction in critical illness survivors.

Long-term outcome after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in children

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is widely accepted as the preferred procedure to establish long-term enteral feeding.

OBJECTIVE

To learn the long-term outcomes of the patients who have undergone PEG placement, we reviewed our experience with children who underwent this procedure in our institute.

METHODS

A total of 83 pediatric patients (42 males and 41 females), who were aged from 3 months to 20 years, underwent PEG insertion in National Taiwan University Hospital from January 2000 to April 2011. The underlying diseases of the patients receiving PEG were neurological dysfunction (n = 67), metabolic disorders (n = 9), gastrointestinal disease (n = 2), and congenital heart disease (n = 1). This procedure was performed under intravenous sedation or under general anesthesia. Prophylactic antibiotics were administered for 1 day. Tube feeding began 24 hours after the PEG placement. The body weight of the patients was recorded 1 day before PEG placement and at least 6 months after PEG placement.

RESULTS

The weight-for-age Z-score before and at 6 months after PEG placement were -1.5 ± 2.0 and -0.9 ± 2.1, respectively, which was statistically significant (paired t test, p = 0.006). The catch-up growth was recorded after PEG placement. Complications of PEG in our patients included cellulitis at the gastrostomy wound (n = 14), dislodgement of the tube (n = 17), and persistent gastrocutaneous fistula (n = 3). The PEG tube was removed permanently in seventeen patients because they resumed an adequate oral intake. During the follow-up period, 14 patients died of an underlying disease or infection.

CONCLUSION

Our experience confirmed that PEG placement is a good long-term route for nutritional supply with no serious complications in children.

Special considerations for endoscopists on PEG indications in older patients

Undernutrition in frail elderly people is a pathological condition that needs to be recognized and addressed early. Neurological dysphagia is among the most frequent causes of this condition in the elderly but should be considered a terminal event in Alzheimer-type dementias. Tube feeding is an important resource for facilitating metabolic recovery in cachectic patients and is particularly successful in "bridging" and stabilizing therapies prior to major treatment able to cure the patient. Clinical management of tube feeding in "incurable" conditions is complex and becomes part of the palliative care and comfort provided in the terminal stages of illness. Non-specialized physicians are often unfamiliar with the theory and practice of end-of-life interventions, and the resulting decisions are in many cases actually contrary to patient comfort. These problems deserve to be more carefully addressed when the patient is unable to cooperate or express his/her preferences and needs. The success of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy has led to increasingly frequent referrals for placement in critically ill elderly patients. Endoscopists therefore become a key figure in stimulating rational, correct treatment of these patients.

Effect of the introducer technique compared with the pull technique on the peristomal infection rate in PEG: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Peristomal infection is a main complication of PEG. The pull technique appears to be associated with higher infection rates compared with the introducer technique, although published results are controversial.

OBJECTIVE

To determine which technique is associated with a higher risk of infection.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

SETTING

Studies reporting rates of peristomal infection after PEG performed by either the pull or introducer technique.

PATIENTS

This study involved 2336 patients from 6 comparative and 10 observational studies.

INTERVENTION

Public MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine journal articles database), Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information databases and proceedings of two meetings, Digestive Disease Week and United European Gastroenterology Week, were searched. Both comparative and observational studies were included and analyzed separately.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Effect measures from each comparative study were reported as the odds ratio (OR). The pooled effect was then calculated. The infection rate in each observational study was also calculated, and a summary effect was then determined.

RESULTS

In comparative studies, the risk of infection was significantly higher with the pull technique (OR 13.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.6-36.8; P < .0001). Similarly, observational studies also reported higher infection rates with the pull technique (10.7%; 95% CI, 4.9-21.8 with the pull technique vs 0.9%; 95% CI, 0.2-4.5 with the introducer technique).

LIMITATIONS

Few studies were available for inclusion, and there was a high risk of bias among the comparative studies.

CONCLUSION

The pull technique appears to be associated with a significantly higher risk of infection compared with the introducer technique.

Long-term percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: characteristic computed tomographic findings

Patients with a long-term PEG may suffer from complications and received physical and endoscopic examinations. However, these examinations do not provide information between skin and stomach. We present the findings of computed tomography (CT) for patients with long-term percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). After 1 year PEG (183 patients), 57 patients had received CT examinations. Skin indentation, soft-tissue thickening, peritoneal gap, internal bumper migration, and clinical abnormalities detected by CT examination were recorded. Thickness of subcutaneous fat, muscle, and abdominal wall along the tract were measured. The same parameters at 3 cm away from the tract were obtained for comparison. CT demonstrated that 28 (49.1%) patients present soft-tissue thickening, 19 (33.3%) patients present skin indentation, and 24 (42.1%) patients present a peritoneal gap. One patient with internal bumper migration, 3 patients had buried bumper syndrome, 2 patients had gastric herniation, and 1 patient had esophageal cancer metastasizes to the PEG site. Thickness of subcutaneous fat, muscle, and abdominal wall decreased significant. CT can provide detailed anatomy and orientation along the PEG tube. Familiarity of the CT appearance can minimize potential complications before PEG tube replacement.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: Mortality and Risk Factors for Survival

Background

The present study evaluated long-term risk factors for survival in patients who have undergone Percutaneous endoscopic Gastrostomy, as well as morbidity and mortality rates.

Methods

The retrospective study included 44 patients who underwent placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube at various departments at Dicle University Medical Faculty between April 2008-September 2010.

Results

The study evaluated 23 women (52.3%) and 21 men (47.7%), with a median age of 50 ± 20 (17 - 87) years. Median time for Percutaneous endoscopic Gastrostomy placement was 23 ± 8.3 (5 - 45) minutes per patient. Total morbidity was 15.9%, including wound infection (4), tube occlusion (1), peristomal leakage (1), and abdominal wall bleeding (1). Short-term complications were not associated with albumin level (P = 0.312).The median hospital stay was 49.34 ± 60.99 (1 - 314) days. The mean follow-up period was 13.07 ± 13.12 (1 - 41) months. The above-normal level of albumin was found to be effective on survival (P = 0.024). Mortality occurred in 18 (40.9%) patients during the follow-up.

Conclusions

Percutaneous endoscopic Gastrostomy is both safe and effective in that it does not require surgical operation and it can be performed under surface anesthesia. The serum albumin level with patients who have undergone percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomyis an effective factor for survival.

Outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in children

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a relatively safe and minimally invasive surgical method for providing enteral access in children. In pediatrics, the indications for PEG placement frequently include malnutrition or failure to thrive, as well as oropharyngeal dysphagia, especially in children with neurological impairment (NI). The risk for postoperative complications is low. However, among children with NI, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may necessitate fundoplication prior to gastrostomy tube placement. Preoperative pH probe testing has not been shown to be an effective screening tool prior to PEG placement among patients with GERD. Laparoscopic gastrostomy tube insertion was introduced in pediatric patients in an attempt to decrease complications associated with PEG. Although outcomes were reported to be similar to or better than PEG alone, future comparative studies are needed to better define the optimal patient demographic for this technique.

Enteral nutrition access devices

The ASGE Technology Committee provides reviews of existing, new, or emerging endoscopic technologies that have an impact on the practice of GI endoscopy. Evidence-based methodology is used, performing a MEDLINE literature search to identify pertinent clinical studies on the topic and a MAUDE (U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health) database search to identify the reported complications of a given technology. Both are supplemented by accessing the "related articles" feature of PubMed and by scrutinizing pertinent references cited by the identified studies. Controlled clinical trials are emphasized, but, in many cases, data from randomized, controlled trials are lacking. In such situations, large case series, preliminary clinical studies, and expert opinions are used. Technical data are gathered from traditional and Web-based publications, proprietary publications, and informal communications with pertinent vendors. Technology Status Evaluation Reports are drafted by 1 or 2 members of the ASGE Technology Committee, reviewed and edited by the committee as a whole, and approved by the ASGE Governing Board. When financial guidance is indicated, the most recent coding data and list prices at the time of publication are provided. For this review, the MEDLINE database was searched through August 2009 for articles related to endoscopy in patients requiring enteral feeding access by using the keywords "endoscopy," "percutaneous," "gastrostomy," "jejunostomy," "nasogastric," "nasoenteric," "nasojejunal," "transnasal," "feeding tube," "enteric," and "button." Technology Status Evaluation Reports are scientific reviews provided solely for educational and informational purposes. Technology Status Evaluation Reports are not rules and should not be construed as establishing a legal standard of care or as encouraging, advocating, requiring, or discouraging any particular treatment or payment for such treatment.

Peritonitis secondary to the migration of a trans-hepatically-placed percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube: a case report

Enteral feeding by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube has become a commonly used method of supplying nutrition to patients with impaired neurologic function. In this case study we describe a 33-year-old brain-injured patient whose PEG insertion was complicated by inadvertent malpositioning and subsequent infection. After initially being placed through the liver, the PEG tube migrated out several weeks later, resulting in intra-abdominal feed collection, peri-hepatic abscess formation, and peritonitis. Physicians should be aware of the potential for inadvertent positioning through other viscera, and consider optimal methods of intraprocedural monitoring and post placement verification.

The Prevention and Management of Complications associated with established Percutaneous Gastrostomy Tubes in Adults: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to summarise the best available evidence relating to the prevention and management of complications associated with established percutaneous gastrostomy tubes in adults.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review considered studies investigating the effectiveness of strategies to prevent and/or manage complications associated with established percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) tubes in adults where care was provided in the hospital, aged care or community setting. Complications included PEG stoma site infection, occlusion, site excoriation and inadvertent removal.

SEARCH STRATEGY

The search strategy aimed to find published and unpublished studies and was limited to reports published in the English language. Reference lists of studies that met the inclusion criteria were searched for additional studies. Company representatives were also contacted for information about ongoing or unpublished studies.

METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY

Study reports selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using a critical appraisal instrument developed specifically for this review.

RESULTS

There were 40 studies that met the inclusion criteria for this review. Thirty-five were excluded after critical appraisal. The five remaining studies contained information regarding strategies for the prevention and/or management of site infection, occlusion and inadvertent removal. There were no studies include that addressed excoriation at the stoma site. Reported strategies for the prevention of complications included regular follow-up, the provision of pre discharge instructions and programmed tube changes. Strategies reported for the management of site infection included local antibiotic therapy, skin care and intravenous antibiotic therapy. Reported interventions for the management of occlusion included the use of enzymes, guidewires, flushing, replacement and removal. The only intervention reported for the management of inadvertent removal was replacement.

CONCLUSION

The research regarding the prevention and management of complications associated with PEG tubes is sparse and potentially of poor quality. Interventions are often poorly described and few comparative studies are published. While few recommendations for practice can be made a range of recommendations for future research are provided. There is an urgent need for further research examining many aspects of the prevention and management of complications associated with PEG tubes.

Long-term outcome after placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube

AIM

To evaluate long-term survival and prognostic factors in patients who have undergone placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of all patients without malignancy who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy at Hanyu General Hospital during the period January 2001-December 2005.

RESULTS

A total of 198 patients (100 men, 98 women) were assessed. Median age was 78 years (range, 25-97 years). The primary diagnosis was a cerebrovascular disorder in 149 (75.3%) of the patients. Prior to placement, 120 (60.6%) had suffered pneumonia. Survival was 87.4% at 1 month, 67.8% at 3 months, 52.6% at 6 months, 38.1% at 1 year, 27.8% at 2 years and 22.3% at 3 years. Pneumonia was the most common cause of death during the follow-up period (91 of 140 patients, 65.0%). Cox's proportional hazards model showed independent predictors of mortality to be a low serum albumin concentration (<or=2.9 g/dL) and history of pneumonia before the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality of patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy appears to be high. In particular, the long-term prognosis was poor for patients with hypoalbuminemia, and this procedure is probably not preferred for patients with recurrent aspiration pneumonia.

[PEG tube placement in German geriatric wards - a retrospective data-base analysis]

The placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a safe and widely accepted method of artificial enteral nutrition. In Germany, PEG placement is performed approximately 140,000 times a year, about 65% of them in elderly patients. Yet indications for PEG placement in the elderly, as well as the health and functional status of these patients are unexplored in Germany. To draw conclusions about the indication for PEG placement, the health status and the further development of patients undergoing PEG in acute geriatric wards, we performed an analysis of the 2004 annual data set of the German Gemidas database. The Gemidas database is an instrument of voluntary quality assurance, where the treatment data of patients in German geriatric hospital units are registered. Data of 40 acute geriatric hospital units with 27,775 patients and 393 PEG tube placements were analyzed. According to the database items, we received information about the incidence of PEG placement, nutrition-relevant treatment diagnosis, patients age, functional and mental status, length of hospital stay, where patients were admitted from and discharged to and the hospital mortality of geriatric patients with and without PEG placement. In 1.4% of all treatment cases, a PEG was inserted. PEG placement was mainly performed in patients with the treatment diagnosis stroke (65.1%) and dysphagia (64.1%). The functional status of patients with PEG tube placement was very poor, with an Barthel Index of 8.2 (+/- 14.6) points at admission. Due to the severity of the disease and in concordance with existing data the overall hospital mortality of patients undergoing PEG placement was 17.6%, which is higher than in patients without PEG placement (4.3%). In all 27 775 analyzed geriatric patients, a diagnosis related to malnutrition was coded in only 7.0%, although sufficient data show a prevalence of about 50% in elderly hospital patients.

A prospective study of tube- and feeding-related complications in patients receiving long-term home enteral nutrition

OBJECTIVES

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes are frequently inserted to facilitate long-term enteral nutrition. There are few studies that address long-term complications related to feeding tubes. The purpose of this study is to examine the long-term complications related to tube malfunction and the effect these have on health care use.

METHODS

In this prospective study, 8 patients who were discharged home on long-term home enteral nutrition completed a diary that listed 17 potential complications related to enteral feeding devices. Subjects completed the diary on a weekly basis, noting which of the potential complications they were experiencing and the intervention related to that complication.

RESULTS

The 8 patients were followed for a mean of 10.5 months. Common tube-site complications included discharge from the tube site, red or tender stoma, and granulation tissue. Mechanical problems related to tubes plugging, breaking, and falling out were also common. Despite having a dedicated nurse and dietitian to follow these patients, unscheduled health care contacts were frequent and averaged 5.4 contacts over the mean follow-up time of 10.5 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients receiving long-term home enteral nutrition, tube and tube-feeding complications are frequent and result in significant health care use. Given the increasing use of long-term enteral nutrition, strategies and programs must be developed to assist patients and their families in managing these complications.