A Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube is a flexible tube designed to deliver nutrition, fluids, and medications directly into the stomach. It is a method of enteral feeding, delivering nutrients through the gastrointestinal tract. This approach bypasses the mouth and esophagus, providing a pathway when oral intake is difficult or unsafe.
The Insertion Point
A PEG tube creates a direct route from the outside of the body into the stomach. The tube enters through a small incision in the abdominal skin. This entry point is typically located in the upper part of the abdomen, often in the upper left quadrant.
The tube extends through the abdominal wall into the stomach. This placement allows for a secure connection, ensuring liquid nutrition and medicines reach the digestive system. The path created is sometimes referred to as a stoma or tract, providing a stable opening.
How a PEG Tube is Placed
The placement of a PEG tube is a procedure typically performed using endoscopic guidance. Patients usually receive sedation and sometimes a local anesthetic to ensure comfort. An endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a camera, is gently inserted through the mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach.
Once in the stomach, the endoscope’s light and air inflation help identify the optimal placement site on the abdominal wall. A small incision is then made through the skin at this marked location. A wire is passed through this incision into the stomach, grasped by the endoscope, and pulled back up through the mouth. The PEG tube is attached to this wire and guided down through the mouth, esophagus, and into the stomach, emerging through the abdominal incision. An internal bumper or retention disc holds the tube securely inside the stomach, while an external fixture rests against the skin to keep it in place.
Why a PEG Tube is Used
PEG tubes are primarily used for individuals who cannot safely or adequately consume enough nutrition or medication by mouth over an extended period. This includes situations where swallowing is impaired, making oral intake risky or insufficient.
Common reasons for placement include conditions that cause difficulty swallowing, such as stroke, neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and certain head and neck cancers. The tube ensures consistent hydration and nutrition, which is important for maintaining health and supporting recovery when oral intake is compromised. It can also be used for gastric decompression.