[Management of the buried bumper syndrome: a new minimally invasive technique--the push method]

The so-called buried bumper syndrome is characterised by a pathological alteration of the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in the form of a tissue overgrowth of the internal bumper of the tube. A lack of mobilisation of the tube and/or continuous traction on the PEG causes the bumper to be impacted by stomach mucosa. The consequence is a local chronic inflammatory process that may result in the occlusion of the feeding tube. As of now, different therapeutic methods exist: the surgical technique based on common laparotomy, the local invasive removal by cutting along the tube and inner flange from the outside and pulling it out (pull method) and the endoscopic recovery from inside the stomach. The authors have developed and evaluated a new endoscopic, minimally invasive technique (push method). In eight of nine patients the inner bumper could be freed by cutting with a papillotome which is brought into the stomach through the shortened PEG from the outside while maintaining endoscopic control. Afterwards the bumper is pushed to the inside with a dilatator and the patients are provided with a balloon system using the persisting stoma. The subsequent healing process proved to yield no further complications.