The use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding tubes in patients with neurological disease

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is being used increasingly in the treatment of patients with neurogenic dysphagia to improve nutrition and prevent choking and aspiration pneumonia. PEG is used in a wide range of general medical conditions, but its role in clinical neurology is sometimes controversial. This paper reviews the place of PEG in the management of 32 patients with a variety of chronic and progressive neurological disorders. All the patients found it to be an effective and acceptable method of feeding that prevented weight loss, reduced chest infections, facilitated nursing care and improved their quality of life. PEG has an important role in neurological rehabilitation.