Complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has become a commonly performed procedure to provide nutritional support to chronically ill patients. Following a PEG-related death, we retrospectively reviewed our complication rate with that of the published values. In the past 48 months at Madigan Army Medical Center and Eisenhower Army Medical Center, 147 PEGs have been performed. We have had 20 minor complications and 5 major complications, with 2 reported deaths directly related to the procedure. Minor complications included 14 cases of localized cellulitis and 5 cases of prolonged ileus. The major complications included two cases of necrotizing fasciitis (both fatal), two cases of tube extubation within 24 hours, both resulting in surgical gastrostomy, and one bowel obstruction requiring laparotomy. Both patients who developed necrotizing fasciitis had several predisposing factors including diabetes, malnutrition, obesity, and long-term hospitalization. In conclusion, we believe PEG is an extremely valuable procedure which should be utilized with caution in the immunocompromised or morbidly obese patient.