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Medical Author:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)?
• What is the purpose of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)?
• Who does percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)?
• Where is percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy done (PEG)?
• How is percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy done (PEG)?
• When can the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy patient go home (PEG)?
• What are the possible complications with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)?
• What are the advantages of percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy?
• Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy At A Glance
• Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Index

How is percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy done?

Local anesthesia (usually lidocaine or another spray) is used to anesthetize the throat. An endoscope (a flexible tube with a camera and a light on the end) is passed through the mouth, throat and esophagus into the stomach. The physician then makes a small incision (cut) in the skin of the abdomen over the stomach and pushes a needle through the skin and into the stomach. The tube for feeding then is pushed through the needle and into the stomach. The tube then is sutured (tied) in place to the skin.

When can the percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy patient go home?

The patient usually can go home the same day or the next morning.

What are the possible complications with percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy?

Possible complications include infection of the puncture site (as in any kind of surgery,) dislodgement of the tube with leakage of the liquid diet that is fed through the tube into the abdomen, and clogging of the tube.

What are the advantages of percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy?

Percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy takes less time, carries less risk and costs less than a surgical gastrostomy which requires opening the abdomen. Percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy is a commonly-performed so there are many physicians with experience in performing the procedure. When feasible, percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy is preferable to a surgical gastrostomy.