PEG Tube Placement Procedure Questions and Answers

If you are looking for PEG tube placement, then please come to Vanguard Gastroenterology. Our gastroenterologists are ready to provide you with the top services! For more information, please call us or book an appointment online.

What Is Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy?

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy or PEG is a surgical procedure in which patients receive a feeding tube through the abdominal wall connected directly to the stomach. A PEG tube benefits patients who have difficulty swallowing, suffer from a lack of appetite or unable to get adequate nutrition from eating alone. Once placed, the PEG tube allows for nourishment, hydration, and medication while bypassing the mouth and esophagus. Depending on the patient, a gastrostomy can be a temporary or long-term treatment.

Candidates For A PEG Tube

Before surgery, our Vanguard Gastroenterology physicians will evaluate and discuss your nutrition needs. Depending on the results, a PEG tube may benefit you. Patients who have the following conditions most commonly receive a PEG tube.

– An inability to eat by mouth
– Birth defects
– Neurological disorders
– Obstructions due to scarring or an ulcer

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Procedure

Using a lighted endoscope, your Vanguard Gastroenterology physician will guide a tube through the skin and secure it in the stomach. The procedure is generally done under a sedative and a local anesthetic. Additionally, patients are able to go home the same day and recuperate there.

Once the surgery is complete, a simple dressing will cover the site for a day or two. Patients will need to regularly maintain the site by daily cleansing including keeping it clean and dry. After placement, a specialized liquid nutrition can be delivered through the tube and some patients are able to eat and drink.

Side Effects Of A PEG

Once home, complications can occur. Make sure you understand the symptoms of the complications before leaving from surgery. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor or nurse to explain anything you do not understand. Side effects include:

– Aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs
– Bleeding
– Infection
– Leakage of stomach contents from around the tube
– Movement or dislodged tube – the site will heal rapidly if the tube is removed so seek medical attention immediately
– Pain at the site
– Perforation of the small bowel wall

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Results

PEG tubes can last for months or even years. However, it can become clogged and patients will need a replacement over time. In this case, your Vanguard Gastroenterology physician can discuss the replacement procedure which can often be done without repeating the anesthesia.

Schedule A Consultation

It is in our very character to put you, the patient, first. If you live in the New York City metropolitan area and require a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy and PEG Tube Vanguard Gastroenterology at call us. We offer two convenient locations to choose from and our doctors are among the best in their field. We serve patients from New York NY, Queens NY, Brooklyn NY, The Bronx NY, East Elmhurst NY, Ridgewood NY, Valley Stream NY, and Staten Island NY.