Gastrostomy Tube (PEG)
What is a Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG)?
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is an endoscopic medical procedure in which a tube (PEG tube) is passed into a patient's stomach through the abdominal wall, most commonly to provide a means of feeding when oral intake is not adequate. The procedure is an alternative to surgical gastrostomy insertion, and does not require a general anesthetic; mild sedation is typically used.
Why do we need to do a Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG)?
This procedure is usually done to provide a means of feeding when oral intake. These tubes are typically placed after a stroke, in some cases of mouth and throat cancer and for patients with various neurologic diseases such as Parkinson's or ALS and in patients.
What to expect during a Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG)?
Patient will stop eating after midnight of the day before procedure. A process of cleansing is not required for this procedure.
The day of procedure you will arrive to the surgery center or the hospital where one is scheduled for the procedure. The patient will be given a sedative which is administered via an intravenous access to help with relaxation during the procedure. It also helps to prevent discomfort caused by air insufflation during the procedure. Therefore, the patient must have a driver after procedure and arranging the transportation should be made ahead of time.
The actual test itself involves the patient lying on her/his left back. A bite guard will be placed in the mouth to protect the teeth prior the procedure. After sedation of the patient, a long, flexible fiber-optic scope is guided into the mouth by the physician. This scope allows the doctor to examine the entire the esophagus, stomach and beginning part of small intestine. After detecting the site of Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement, the skin of abdominal wall will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution and local anesthetic will be given. One small incision will be made and gastrostomy tube will be placed through the abdominal wall into the stomach. If the site of bleeds, the doctor is able to stop the bleeding with different techniques at that time of procedure. It takes 15 to 20 to complete the exam.
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