Fatal and disastrous complications following percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has become the preferred method of nutritional support in virtually every patient in whom this procedure is technically feasible because of its apparent technical facility, cost containment, and bedside insertion. PEG can, however, be associated with serious complications and death. This is a report of three patients who developed life-threatening abdominal wall abscesses and four patients who died after PEG insertion. The patients ranged in age from 30 to 80 years, four female and three male. Complicating medical conditions included cirrhosis, diabetes, heart-lung transplantation, neurological dysfunction, and psychosis. The four patients who died were all noted to have had unsatisfactory adhesion between the gastric serosa and the anterior abdominal wall, resulting in large gastric defects where the PEG had been placed and intraperitoneal contamination with gastric contents and feedings. Three additional patients developed abdominal wall abscesses requiring operative debridement. The patient considered to be high risk for surgical gastrostomy may be a higher risk for PEG. Alternatives to PEG should be considered in patients with poor nutritional status or debilitating medical conditions, or in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy and steroid use. Psychosis and dementia should be considered relative contraindications to PEG because these patients may dislodge the gastrostomy tube, resulting in severe wound infection and, possibly, death.