[Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Course, nutrition and care in 233 consecutive patients].

Aim: To evaluate the course, nutrition and care of PEG tubes on the basis of data collected from 233 consecutive patients.

Patients and method: Between 1.1.1990 and 31.3.1996, a total of 243 PEG tubes were implanted in 233 patients--56.5% male and 43.5% female--with an average age of 66.2 years. 57.3% had neurological, and 19.4% neurosurgical, diseases, 11.2% suffered polytraumatization or severe burns, and 8.2% had a malignancy. Patients stayed with the implanted tube on average 153 days, with neurological patients leading the field at 189 days.

Results: The overall complication rate was 14.5%, with the most common complication being local infection, which occurred in 5.4% of the cases. Severe complications were seen in 1.2%. One patient developed a necrotizing fasciltis, and in two others, migration of the tube was observed. 52.2% of the patients died with the tube still in place. In 33.6%, the PEG tube was removed after a mean of 82.7 days, when adequate oral nutrition again became possible.

Conclusion: In this study, PEG proved an effective method for enteral nutrition over the middle-to-long-term in multimorbid and intensive care patients, as well as in those with malignant disease.