Brief Articles
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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2009; 15(25): 3148-3152
Published online Jul 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.3148
Is percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement safe in patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunts?
Jin-Soo Kim, Yong-Wan Park, Hyung-Keun Kim, Young-Seok Cho, Sung-Soo Kim, Na-Ri Youn, Hiun-Suk Chae
Jin-Soo Kim, Yong-Wan Park, Hyung-Keun Kim, Young-Seok Cho, Sung-Soo Kim, Na-Ri Youn, Hiun-Suk Chae, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, 65-1, Geumo-dong, Uijeongbu City, Kyunggido 480-717, South Korea
Author contributions: Kim HK, Cho YS, Kim SS and Chae HS designed the study; Kim JS, Park YW and Youn NR performed the study; Kim HK analyzed the data; Kim JS, Park YW and Kim HK wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Hyung-Keun Kim, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, 65-1, Geumo-dong, Uijeongbu City, Kyunggido 480-717, South Korea. hykkim@catholic.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-31-8203016
Fax: +82-31-8472719
Received: May 1, 2009
Revised: May 31, 2009
Accepted: June 7, 2009
Published online: July 7, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement is safe in patients with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts.

METHODS: This was a retrospective study of all patients undergoing PEG insertion at our institution between June 1999 and June 2006. Post-PEG complications were compared between two groups according to the presence or absence of VP shunts. VP shunt infection rates, the interval between PEG placement and VP shunt catheter insertion, and long-term follow-up were also investigated.

RESULTS: Fifty-five patients qualified for the study. Seven patients (12.7%) had pre-existing VP shunts. All patients received prophylactic antibiotics. The complication rate did not differ between VP shunt patients undergoing PEG (PEG/VP group) and non-VP shunt patients undergoing PEG (control group) [1 (14.3%) vs 6 (12.5%), P = 1.000]. All patients in the PEG/VP group had undergone VP shunt insertion prior to PEG placement. The mean interval between VP shunt insertion and PEG placement was 308.7 d (range, 65-831 d). The mean follow-up duration in the PEG/VP group was 6.4 mo (range, 1-15 mo). There were no VP shunt infections, although one patient in the PEG/VP group developed a minor peristomal infection during follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Complications following PEG placement in patients with VP shunts were infrequent in this study.

Keywords: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, Ventriculoperitoneal shunt, Complication, Ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection, Prophylactic antibiotic