Lesser curvature gastrostomy reduces the incidence of postoperative gastroesophageal reflux

Abstract

Gastrostomy is frequently required in children with neurological impairment and feeding disability. In some centers, concomitant (prophylactic) antireflux procedures are often performed due to the increased risk of occurrence of significant gastroesophageal reflux (GER) after isolated operative or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement. This has been documented in both experimental and clinical settings. A recent clinical study suggests that placement of a gastrostomy in a lesser curvature location rather than on the greater curvature of the stomach may decrease the incidence of postoperative GER. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this clinical impression. Under ketamine anesthesia and sterile technique, 30 cats underwent laparotomy and placement of a Stamm gastrostomy tube; 15 (group A) were located on the greater curvature of the stomach. Each animal was evaluated postoperatively for the occurrence of GER using upper gastrointestinal contrast study, nuclear medicine gastric scintigraphy (technetium 99m), pH probe/Tuttle test, and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) manometrics. Contrast esophagram with barium demonstrated GER in 3 animals in group A and none in group B (P less than .05). The pH/Tuttle test was positive in 4 animals in group and none in group B (P less than .05). 99mTc gastric scintigraphy (over a 30-minute period) demonstrated GER in 7 cats in group A and in only 1 cat in group B (P less than .05). LES manometric pressures were similar among both groups. This study suggests that a gastrostomy placed in the lesser curvature may reduce the incidence of postgastrostomy GER and obviate the need for a concomitant antireflux procedure in patients with a severe feeding disability but without demonstrable GER during preoperative assessment.