Severe Gastrointestinal Bleeding Following Gastrostomy Tube Replacement: A Case of an Unusual Presentation of Enterocutaneous Fistula

Teresa Da Cunha; Jaimy Villavicencio; Steven A Goldenberg

doi:10.7759/cureus.24673

Severe Gastrointestinal Bleeding Following Gastrostomy Tube Replacement: A Case of an Unusual Presentation of Enterocutaneous Fistula

Cureus. 2022 May 2;14(5):e24673. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24673. eCollection 2022 May.

Authors

Teresa Da Cunha¹, Jaimy Villavicencio², Steven A Goldenberg³

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, University of Connecticut, Hartford, USA.
² Internal Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, USA.
³ Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, USA.

Abstract

Gastrostomy tubes are widely used and provide an alternative route of enteral feeding when oral intake is not feasible. Previously, a surgical laparotomy was required for its placement, but percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous radiological gastrostomy (PRG) techniques have widely replaced the surgical approach given their less invasive nature. Although the complications that might follow these procedures are usually minor, more severe complications can rarely occur. We describe a unique case of severe gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient who underwent PRG tube exchange reflecting an acute complication following an asymptomatic misplaced permanent gastrostomy tube.

Keywords: complications; enteral feeding; gastrostomy tube; percutaneous; small bowel bleeding.

Publication types

Case Reports