Percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement in a patient with prior sleeve gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomies have quickly become the most common bariatric weight loss surgery performed in the United States (U.S.). Given that hundreds of thousands of gastrostomy tubes (G tubes) are also placed each year, the number of patients with prior sleeve gastrectomies requiring a G tube will surely rise in the coming years. The case presented herein is a patient with prior sleeve gastrectomy who underwent percutaneous G tube placement.

Communication surrounding initiation and withdrawal of non-invasive ventilation in adults with Motor Neuron(e) Disease: clinicians’ and family members’ perspectives

Introduction International guidelines recommend that health care clinicians communicate with people with MND and their family members about non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and percutaneous gastrostomy tube (PEG) prior to or at the onset of respiratory symptoms. This study sought to discover the degree to which these recommendations are followed in practice. Methods Interpretive Description methodology was employed. Nineteen clinicians experienced in caring for people with MND, six relatives of recently deceased people with MND and one person with MND participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Clinicians’ accounts of NIV and PEG related communications were compared to family member participants’ recollections of their own discussions with clinicians. Data were analysed thematically. Results Six major themes emerged that together capture the factors that impact practitioner-patient-family communications about NIV and PEG. Some clinicians were unaware of MND guidelines particularly communicating the burdens or possible withdrawal of NIV or found them challenging to implement. Consequently, family participants reported that they and their relatives with MND found clinicians’ communication on these topics inadequate. This led to them ‘topping up’ their knowledge from less authoritative sources, predominantly the internet. Discussion Clinicians’ lack of awareness of the international guidelines and discomfort about discussing the benefits and burdens of NIV and PEGs means some people with MND and their families may be unprepared for the consequences of using and ceasing NIV.

Percutaneous Ultrasound Guided Gastrostomy Tube Placement: A Prospective Cohort Trial

Background: To compare the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ultrasound guided gastrostomy (PUG) tube placement with traditional fluoroscopic guided percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement (PRG). Methods: A prospective, observational, non-randomized cohort trial was performed comparing 25 consecutive patients who underwent PUG placement between April 2020 and August 2020 with 25 consecutive patients who underwent PRG placement between February 2020 and March 2020. Procedure time, sedation, analgesia requirements, and complications were compared between the two groups in non-inferiority analysis. Results: Technical success rates were 96% in both groups (24/25) of procedures. Ninety-two percent of patients in the PUG cohort were admitted to the ICU at the time of G-tube request. Aside from significantly more COVID-19 patients in the PUG group ( P < .001), there was no other statistically significant difference in patient demographics. Intra-procedure pain medication requirements were the same for both groups, 50 micrograms of IV fentanyl ( P = 1.0). Intra-procedure sedation with IV midazolam was insignificantly higher in the PUG group 1.12 mg vs 0.8 mg ( P = .355). Procedure time trended toward statistical significance ( P = .076), with PRG being shorter than PUG (30.5 ± 14.1 minutes vs 39.7 ± 17.9 minutes). There were 2 non-device related major complications in the PUG group and 1 major and 1 minor complication in the PRG group. Conclusion: PUG is similar in terms of complications to PRG gastrostomy tube placement and a safe method for gastrostomy tube placement in the critically ill with the added benefits of bedside placement, elimination of radiation exposure, and expanded and improved access to care.

Nasogastric- vs. percutaneous gastrostomy tube for prophylactic gastric decompression after cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy

Objectives Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is associated with postoperative gastroparesis and ileus. In 2015, our practice shifted from using percutaneous gastrostomy tubes (PGT), to nasogastric tubes (NGT) for prophylactic gastric decompression after CRS-HIPEC. This study aimed to compare these methods for length of stay (LOS) and associated complications. Methods Patients that underwent CRS-HIPEC for peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer between 2014 and 2019 were included. Cases were grouped based on receiving NGT or PGT postoperatively. Multivariable linear regression determined the independent effect of decompression method on LOS, thereby adjusting for confounders. Results In total, 179 patients were included in the analyses. Median age was 64 years [IQR:54–71]. Altogether, 135 (75.4%) received a NGT and 44 (24.6%) received a PGT. Gastroparesis occurred significantly more often in the PGT group (18.2 vs. 7.4%, p=0.039). Median LOS was significantly shorter for patients with a NGT (15 [IQR:12–19] vs. 18.5 [IQR:17–25.5], p<0.001). PGT was independently associated with longer LOS in multivariable analysis (Beta=4.224 [95%CI 1.243–7.204]). There was no difference regarding aspiration, pneumonia and postoperative mortality between groups. Conclusions NGT should be preferred over PGT for gastric decompression after CRS-HIPEC as it is associated with fewer gastroparesis and shorter LOS.

Nutritional Support in Head and Neck Radiotherapy Patients Considering HPV Status

Malnutrition is a common problem in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), including oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). It is caused by insufficient food intake due to dysphagia, odynophagia, and a lack of appetite caused by the tumor. It is also secondary to the oncological treatment of the basic disease, such as radiotherapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT), as a consequence of mucositis with the dry mouth, loss of taste, and dysphagia. The severe dysphagia leads to a definitive total impossibility of eating through the mouth in 20–30% of patients. These patients usually require enteral nutritional support. Feeding tubes are a commonly used nutritional intervention during radiotherapy, most frequently percutaneous gastrostomy tube. Recently, a novel HPV-related type of OPC has been described. Patients with HPV-associated OPC are different from the HPV− ones. Typical HPV− OPC is associated with smoking and alcohol abuse. Patients with HPV+ OPC are younger and healthy (without comorbidities) at diagnosis compared to HPV− ones. Patients with OPC are at high nutritional risk, and therefore, they require nutritional support in order to improve the treatment results and quality of life. Some authors noted the high incidence of critical weight loss (CWL) in patients with HPV-related OPC. Other authors have observed the increased acute toxicities during oncological treatment in HPV+ OPC patients compared to HPV− ones. The aim of this paper is to review and discuss the indications for nutritional support and the kinds of nutrition, including immunonutrition (IN), in HNC, particularly OPC patients, undergoing RT/CRT, considering HPV status.

Case report of hyperacute edema and cavitation following deep brain stimulation lead implantation

Background: Postoperative cerebral edema around a deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrode is an uncommonly reported complication of DBS surgery. The etiology of this remains unknown, and the presentation is highly variable; however, the patients generally report a good outcome. Case Description: Here, we report an unusual presentation of postoperative edema in a 66-year-old female who has bilateral dentatorubrothalamic tract (specifically, the ventral intermediate nucleus) DBS for a mixed type tremor disorder. Initial postoperative computed tomography (CT) was unremarkable and the patient was admitted for observation. She declined later on postoperative day (POD) 1 and became lethargic. Stat head CT scan performed revealed marked left-sided peri-lead edema extending into the centrum semiovale with cystic cavitation, and trace right-sided edema. On POD 2, the patient was alert, but with global aphasia, right-sided neglect, and a plegic right upper extremity. Corticosteroids were started and a complete infectious workup was unremarkable. She was intubated and ultimately required a tracheostomy and percutaneous gastrostomy tube. She returned to the clinic 3 months postoperatively completely recovered and ready for battery implantation. Conclusion: While this is an unusual presentation of cerebral edema following DBS placement, ultimately, the outcome was good similar to other reported cases. Supportive care and corticosteroids remain the treatment of choice for this phenomenon.

Rare case of dual gastrointestinal perforations

A 49-year-old man presented to the nearest emergency department profoundly septic with significantly raised inflammatory markers. He had a background of floor of mouth invasive squamous cell carcinoma for which he underwent complex head and neck surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and insertion of a percutaneous gastrostomy tube for feeding. He experienced 3 weeks of retching, cough and malaise. Imaging revealed both an oesophageal perforation and perforated duodenal ulcer, presumed secondary to oesophageal stricturing from his prior surgery and radiotherapy.