What is a PEG tube?
A special case is the JET-PEG tube (jejunal tube through PEG) or PEJ (percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy), which ends inside the first part of the small intestine (jejunum). It is used when the stomach outlet is blocked.
When is a PEG performed?
- Constrictions (stenoses) in the throat, nose and ear area and in the upper gastrointestinal tract due to tumors, scarring or injuries
- Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
- Neurological diseases with swallowing disorders
- Disturbances of consciousness, such as coma
- Improvement of the quality of life in critically ill patients
- Drainage of gastric juice and small intestinal secretions in chronic stenoses
- Life-threatening refusal of food in mental illnesses
However, there may be reasons not to use a PEG tube, so the physician will review its use on an individual basis:
- Rejection by the patient
- Sufficient intake of food
- Narrowing of the gastric outlet
- Inflammation of the peritoneum or pancreas
- Fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity (ascites)
- Severe obesity
What do you do when you have a PEG?
What are the risks of PEG placement?
In addition to the general risks of surgery, such as infections, complications can occur either immediately during or shortly after the placement. These include:
- Complications due to anesthesia
- Peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum) due to injury to, for example, the stomach
- Buried-bumper syndrome: ingrowth of the inner retaining plate into the gastric mucosa
- Incorrect position of the PEG tube
- Displacement of the inner retaining plate
- Closure of the probe
What do I have to consider after a PEG insertion?
Already a few hours after the operation, tea, still mineral water and tube feedings can be given via the PEG tube. In some patients, the stomach is accustomed to the required amount in a build-up phase to avoid nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
If the PEG tube is well cared for, it can be used for many months and years without causing any symptoms. If it is no longer needed, it can be removed and the stitch canal grows closed.
