Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy - Complications

Complications

• Cellulitis (infection of the skin) around the gastrostomy site
• Haemorrhage
• Gastric ulcer either at the site of the button or on the opposite wall of the stomach ("kissing ulcer")
• Perforation of bowel (most commonly transverse colon) leading to peritonitis
• Puncture of the left lobe of the liver leading to liver capsule pain
• Gastrocolic fistula: this may be suspected if diarrhea appears a short time after feeding. In this case, the feed goes direct from stomach to colon (usually transverse colon)
• Gastric separation
• "Buried bumper syndrome" (the gastric part of the tube migrates into the gastric wall)