Endoscopic percutaneous gastrostomy: feedback from a descriptive series of cases from two hospital centers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Context and objectives. Although percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is recognized as an interesting alternative to the nasogastric tube in cases where oral feeding is impossible or insufficient, it is very rarely practiced in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The objective of the present study was to describe the feedback from the experience of this practice in Kinshasa. Methods. This was a descriptive series which collected the files of patients who benefited from a PEG feeding, according to the "PULL" technique, in two hospital centers in Kinshasa, between January 2019 and December 2024. It was carried out by the same team of doctors in the Gastro Enterology Department of both hospitals. The parameters of interest included: indications, location, duration of PEG placement, time to return to power after PEG placement. Results. In 21 patients, with an average age of 76 years, two-thirds of whom were men, PEG placement was indicated for swallowing disorders in 95% of cases. The technical success rate at the first installation attempt was 95%. The duration of the procedure varied from 10 to 20 minutes, from 20 to 30 min, or it was longer than 30 min, respectively in 52%, 32% and 16% of cases. The time to first feeding through the PEG tube was 3 hours in all patients. The failure rate of the installation was 5% and the mortality rate linked to the procedure was zero. Conclusion. PEG is an effective practice, performed and integrated into the therapeutic arsenal of the gastroenterologist in Kinshasa. It has a technical and functional success rate close to that described in the literature. Its practice is to be encouraged. Received: February 26th, 2025 Accepted: August 9th, 2025 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v18i4.15