Percutaneous Radiologic Gastrostomy Tube Placement Techniques

Gastrostomy tubes are a common procedure for interventional radiologists. Several techniques are available to obtain gastric access radiologically, including the antegrade, retrograde, and balloon-assisted techniques. The choice of technique can depend on the patient's clinical presentation and the available services at each institution. Indications, preprocedural workup, technique, and postprocedural care help guide the choice of approach. Three common methods will be reviewed in this article: antegrade, retrograde, and balloon assisted. The antegrade technique is comparable to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement with a decreased incidence of tube dislodgement compared to the retrograde technique, but it requires reliable oral and esophageal access. The retrograde technique reduces the risk of postprocedural infection, has shorter procedure times, and reduces radiation exposure. The balloon-assisted technique reduces procedure time even more than the antegrade or retrograde technique, with comparable outcomes. Understanding the most common techniques available and how they compare is essential to providing patient-centered care.