GASTROSTOMY CONVERSION TO TRANSGASTRIC JEJUNOSTOMY - TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, CAUSES OF FAILURE, AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS IN 63 PATIENTS

Sixty-three radiologically guided conversions of gastrostomy to transgastric jejunostomy performed over a 4-year period were reviewed. Conversions succeeded in 31 of 38 surgically placed gastrostomies (82%), in 14 of 18 endoscopically placed gastrostomies (78%), and in seven of seven radiologically placed gastrostomies, for an overall success rate of 83%. Almost all failures (10 of 11 gastrostomies) were primarily the result of unfavorable fundal angulation of the surgical or endoscopic tract; unfavorable angulation was also the most common technical problem encountered in the successful conversions. Of the 52 successful conversions, 23 (44%) necessitated tube replacement: eight for spontaneous proximal migration of the tube, 11 for accidental tube dislodgment, and four for tube blockage. While most gastrostomy to transgastric jejunostomy conversions are simple to perform, in many cases the unfavorable angle of the original transcutaneous tract precludes jejunal intubation and may be a cause for early recoil of a successfully placed jejunal catheter back into the stomach. With early recognition of an unfavorable tract, a fresh transgastric jejunostomy through a new, properly angled puncture may be the preferred approach.