Sheikh Qais Falah, Iram Bashir, Asif Shams, Arshad Ali Marwat, Aftab Alam.
Clinical outcomes of open surgical gastrostomy in patients with obstructive head and neck and esophageal carcinoma: a retrospective audit from Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
Biomedica Jan ;37(4):248-52.

Background and Objectives: Gastrostomy is a well-established procedure for enteral feeding in patients with obstructive head and neck carcinomas. The aim of the present study was to assess the mortality rate and other complications associated with open surgical gastrostomy (OSG) in patients with obstructive head and neck and esophageal carcinomas in local population. Methods: This retrospective audit was conducted at the surgical unit of a teaching hospital at Khyber Pukhtunkhwa from January 2013 to December 2019. A total of 30 head and neck cancer patients undergoing OSG for enteral feeding were included in this study. The gastrostomy procedure was performed under local anesthesia. Patients were discharged on fourth to sixth postoperative day after enteral feeding was fully established. The patients were followed up for any complications on 10th and 30th day postoperatively. Results: The mean age of the patients was 42.3 ± 13.55 years (range 23 to 70 years). Females were affected more commonly than males. One patient died during postoperative admission, while another patient passed away after getting discharged within first 30 days, postoperatively. Thus, the mortality rate was recorded as 6.66% (n = 2). No major complications were recorded while the minor complications including tube blockage, tube dislodgment and peri-catheteral infection were noted. Conclusion: Open surgical gastrostomy under local anesthesia is a safe and easy procedure for enteral feeding with low rate of complications in patients with obstructive carcinomas of head and neck.

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