Laparoscopic gastrostomy

Abstract

Gastrostomy is a commonly performed procedure in infants and children for a variety of diagnoses. Most often gastrostomy tubes are placed to provide either total or supplemental nutrition. Total nutrition is provided by gastrostomy in patients who have primary aspiration, dysphagia, or feeding aversion. Supplemental nutrition is provided typically for children with increased metabolic requirements such those caused by renal, cardiac, or pulmonary disorders. The technique described is versatile and straightforward. It provides clearer visualization of the site of tube placement than the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy technique. This technique may be combined with laparoscopic fundoplication. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2008.