Continuous double U-stitch gastrostomy in children.

Background: In children, a gastrostomy button was placed as the initial feeding tube, using laparoscopy and a modified surgical technique. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a new surgical procedure developed at our institution would result in fewer postoperative complications.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-two consecutive children with nutritional problems underwent a video-assisted gastrostomy operation (VAG). The technique requires the use of a 2 or 3 mm laparoscope optic and a 5 mm trocar placed at the exit site chosen for the gastrostomy. A continuous double U-stitch absorbable suture created a purse string suture around the gastrostoma on the stomach and fixated the stomach to the abdominal wall. For comparison, we used a control group of 68 children with nutritional problems operated on with our previously published VAG technique. After surgery, the children were followed up at one and six months and all complications were documented according to a protocol.

Results: The two groups of children were comparable with regard to their demographic data. There were no serious intra-operative or postoperative intra-abdominal complications requiring reoperation. There was a significantly lower incidence of the minor complication of granuloma around the gastrostoma in the study group compared with the control group.

Conclusion: This variation of the surgical technique is simple and effective. It allows primary placement of a gastrostomy button that is functionally and cosmetically comparable to a gastrostomy tube surgically placed by other methods. In this study, the patients had fewer postoperative problems than the control group.