An Audit of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Insertion in Patients Undergoing Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer: Reducing the Incidence of Peri-Operative Airway Events by the Introduction of a Tumour Assessment Protocol

INTRODUCTION The presence of a malignancy of the upper aerodigestive tract introduces the potential for iatrogenic complica tions additional to those usually associated with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. Specifically, seeding of tumour from the upper aerodigestive tract creating abdominal wall metastases, and airway obstruction due to tumour directly occluding the airway when a patient is sedated for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.