Success rate of direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy in patients who are obese

Direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ) is increasingly used as a method for obtaining jejunal enteral access. The most cited reason of unsuccessful placement is poor transillumination, which may be related to obesity. Whether obesity affects failure and complication rates has not been previously described.

To compare the success rate and adverse events (AEs) associated with DPEJ placement in patients who were overweight and patients who were obese compared with patients who were normal or underweight defined by body mass index (BMI).

Retrospective database review.

A tertiary-referral center.

Eighty DPEJ placements between February 2000 and September 2005.

DPEJ placement success in patients who were overweight/obese (BMI >or= 25) versus patients who were normal or underweight (BMI <25). Secondary end points included procedure time and AEs.

Eighty DPEJs were placed in 75 patients. Of these DPEJs, 65 (81%) succeeded and 15 (19%) failed. Success rates were 23 of 24 for patients who were underweight (96%), 25 of 31 for patients with normal BMI (81%), 8 of 11 for patients who were overweight (73%), and 6 of 10 for persons who were obese (60%) (odds ratio 3.43, 95% CI 1.03-11.44; P< .05 for BMI >or= 25 vs BMI<25). Overall, AEs were not significantly different for patients with BMI <25 versus BMI >or=25 (24/55 vs 9/21, respectively; P= .64). However, 4 of the 5 severe AEs occurred in patients with a BMI >or= 25 (P= .07).

Retrospective single center.

DPEJ placement in patients who were overweight or obese was feasible, but procedural success was less frequent, and a trend toward more frequent major AEs was seen than in persons with normal or decreased BMI. BMI was an easily assessed preprocedural factor for DPEJ success and complication rates.