Endoscopically assisted percutaneous transesophageal gastrotubing: a retrospective pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous transesophageal gastrotubing (PTEG) was developed as an alternative route to access the gastrointestinal tract when percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is contraindicated. PTEG was originally performed without endoscopy. However, endoscopy may enhance safety.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A percutaneous rupture-free balloon is inserted under ultrasonographic control into an upper esophageal puncture site with a specialized needle. A guidewire is inserted through the needle into the rupture-free balloon, followed by a dilator and sheath. A placement tube is then inserted through the sheath. PTEG was performed in 85 patients (56 men and 29 women, mean age 70.5 years), 30 under fluoroscopic guidance and 55 under endoscopic guidance. These groups were subdivided into the nutrition subgroup (fluoroscopy, 20 patients; endoscopy, 23) and the decompression subgroup (fluoroscopy, 10 patients; endoscopy, 32) according to the purpose of PTEG.

RESULTS: Nine (30%) of the 30 patients in the fluoroscopy group required endoscopic assistance to complete the procedure. None of the patients in the endoscopy group required fluoroscopy (P<0.05). The overall complication rate of PTEG was 16.4%. Complication rates in the nutrition and decompression subgroups were, respectively, 20.0 and 20.0% in the fluoroscopy group and 17.4 and 12.5% in the endoscopy group (NS). No patient required surgery or died because of the procedure. Survival rates did not differ significantly between the groups.

CONCLUSION: Endoscopically assisted PTEG is a feasible, safe, and useful procedure. The use of endoscopy enhances visual information, may increase the safety of the procedure, and allows better confirmation of each step involved, without radiation exposure.