Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is an easy means to provide enteral access in patients unable to maintain adequate nutrition via the oral route. In patients with morbid obesity, altered intra-abdominal anatomy due to prior abdominal surgery, the interposition of the colon or other factors precluding endoscopy, feeding tube placement by laparoscopic means (LAPEG) can provide a potentially safe alternative. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy and outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted placement of PEG in adult patients. This is a retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients, who underwent PEG and/or laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement (LAPEG) by two surgeons at a single institution. A total of 36 patients underwent PEG and/or LAPEG. No significant differences were found in the total and postoperative length of stay and mortality. There were no procedure-related complications in the LAPEG group versus two in the PEG group (8.7%), but this did not reach statistical significance. LAPEG was 100% successful in gaining enteral feeding access in patients that had failed PEG. The most common reason for PEG placement failure was colonic interposition (39%), followed by intra-abdominal adhesions and gastric displacement by hiatal hernia (each 23%). 38.5% of LAPG procedures could be done via 5-mm single port access, 38.5% required two-port and 23% required three-port access. In conclusion, LAPEG is a feasible minimally invasive alternative to gain enteral feeding access in patients that have failed PEG that does not increase the length of stay, morbidity or mortality.
Keywords: percutaneous.
Copyright © 2020, Lodin et al.