Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Large-Bore Tube Application without the Use of Endoscope: Single-Center Experience on 86 Neurologically Compromised Patients

Abstract

Context: Percutaneous placement of gastrostomy tube has replaced surgical placement as the most accepted method of gastrostomy tube insertion. It can be done by an alternative nonendoscopic fluoroscopy-guided technique that combines the advantages of fluoroscopic guidance and the pull technique. Aims: This study aimed to describe a percutaneous fluoroscopy-guided technique for applying mushroom-retained large-bore gastrostomy advanced through the nose without endoscopy. Settings and Design: This retrospective study was conducted at the Interventional Radiology Unit, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. Subjects and Methods: Between January 2015 and November 2017, 86 neurologically compromised patients underwent placement of 24F mushroom gastrostomy tubes. There were 55 males and 31 females, with the mean age of 61 years (58–87 years). Technical success and procedural complications were assessed. Follow-up data were collected retrospectively by reviewing the medical records at the neurology clinic to evaluate tube function and monitor complications. Results: Technical success rate was 100%. Procedure time varied between 10 and 13 min. No major procedure-related complications occurred. Twenty-two patients (25.5%) died during the study period with no procedure-related deaths. Nearly 34.8% of the patients (30/86 patients) could not be followed up due to loss of contact. Follow-up time ranged between 200 and 230 days in the remaining 34 patients with no evidence of tube dysfunction. Conclusions: Fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous placement of large-bore pull gastrostomy tubes inserted via nasal route showed a high rate of technical success and long-term patency with low risk of complications.