A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology examined problems related to gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes), feeding tubes placed in the stomach to help people who cannot eat safely by mouth. The study found that the most common device problem was damage to the tube, and the most common patient problem was infection where the tube enters the body.
People with thymidine kinase 2 deficiency (TK2d) may need a G-tube if they have trouble swallowing or have a high risk of food going into their lungs. While G-tubes are an important form of supportive care, they sometimes cause complications.
This study looked at reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database over the past 10 years to understand what kinds of G-tube problems were reported and how often they happened. Researchers reviewed 1,761 reports in total.
Most of the reports, 71.3%, were about device malfunctions. Injuries were reported in 27.1% of cases, and death was reported in 1.6% of cases. Many of the deaths were linked to peritonitis, a serious infection in the abdomen, sometimes together with sepsis (a condition in which the immune system overreacts to an infection and damages organs).
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The most common device problems included damage to the balloon part of the tube, parts of the tube coming loose, and the tube breaking. The most common patient-related problem was infection at the insertion site. Another frequent problem was foreign body retention, when a part of the tube stays inside the body.
The study also found that balloon problems and fluid leaks were reported more often with a specific type of G-tube called button-style G-tubes.
“The strength of this study lies in its comprehensive review of a national postmarketing surveillance system over a decade, offering valuable insights that can inform device design, postmarket monitoring, and patient safety efforts,” the researchers said.
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