Nutrition entérale : sonde nasogastrique ou gastrostomie percutanée endoscopique ?

When enteral nutrition is indicated to prevent or to treat a patient with denutrition choosing between a nasogastric tube (NGT) and a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is not always an easy decision. In neurological patients with swallowing disturbances or in patients with head and neck tumors, PEG is associated with lower rates of feeding tube dislodgement, while NGT has lower rates or morbidity. A meta-analysis showed that the interruption of nutrition is less frequent with PEG but there is no difference in terms of mortality and aspiration pneumonia between PEG and NGT. The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism recommends PEG when enteral nutrition is expected to last more than 3 weeks.