OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical experiences in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)/percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 578 patients who received either PEG or PEJ from July 2001 to December 2007 in our hospital. The data analyzed included the type, aim, duration, success rate, and complications of these procedures.

RESULTSOf 578 patients, 247 patients underwent PEG, 293 patients underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEGJ), 4 patients received percutaneous endoscopic duodenostomy (PED), 4 patients underwent direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ), 4 patients underwent percutaneous endoscopic colostomy (PEC), and 26 patients received PEG/J combined stents. These procedures were performed in different clinical conditions, including enteral nutrition (n = 329), decompression combined enteral nutrition (n = 133), decompression of the gastrointestinal tract (n = 103), enteral nutrition combined bile refeeding (n = 5), perioperative applications (n = 4), and coloclysis (n = 4). Tubes were successfully placed in 578 patients (98.0%) in an average time of (7.5 +/- 1.9) min in PEG, (17.7 +/- 4.2) min in PEGJ, (14.8 +/- 2.1) min in DPEJ, (12.3 +/- 2.5) min in PED, (11.3 +/- 2.6) min in PEC, and (30.2 +/- 5.2) min in PEG/J combined stent, respectively. No procedure-related complications were observed. Major complications were found in 6 patients (1.04%) and minor complications in 36 patients (6.23%). The duration of tube functioning was (168.37 +/- 198.64) d.

CONCLUSIONSPEG/PEJ are easy to handle, effective, safe, and convenient for nursing. The endoscopic method of tube placement can be performed at the bedside and allow for enteral feeding, gastrointestinal decompression, and internal biliary drainage to be rapidly and efficiently achieved.