Abstract
Objective
To assess the effect of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement on gastric emptying in clinically normal cats.
Animals
8 healthy adult 3- to 5-year-old cats.
Procedure
Cats were accommodated to the diet for 2 weeks prior to scintigraphy. Caloric needs were divided into 3 feedings/d. Food was withheld for 24 hours after tube placement, then was fed as a third of the caloric needs on day 1, two-thirds on day 2, and full caloric requirements thereafter. Gastric emptying was measured via nuclear scintigraphy. Labeled meals contained 111 MBq (3 mCi) of 99mTc-labeled disofenin. Sixty-second ventral scintigraphic images were acquired immediately, every 20 minutes for the first hour, then every 30 minutes for 4 hours after feeding. Each cat was evaluated 3 times prior to PEG tube placement. Cats were anesthetized, and 16-F mushroom-tipped Pezzar gastrostomy tubes were placed, using a video endoscope. Scintigraphy was repeated on days 1, 4, 7, 11, 14, and 21 after PEG tube placement.
Results
Gastric emptying was faster with a PEG tube in place. Percentage of retained gastric activity was significantly lower after PEG for 150, 180, 210, and 240 minutes versus time before PEG tube placement.
Conclusion
Placement of a PEG tube does not delay gastric emptying in clinically normal cats.
Clinical Relevance
Gastric retention of food, vomiting, and aspiration pneumonia after PEG tube placement may not be related to delayed gastric emptying. (Am J Vet Res 1998;59:1414–1416)
