Safety and efficacy of stoma site selection in CT-guided percutaneous gastrostomy: a retrospective analysis

Abstract Purpose To compare the safety and efficacy of CPG in the rectus abdominis and intercostal regions. Materials and methods This retrospective study included 226 patients who underwent CPG at a single center, with the stoma placed in the rectus abdominis or intercostal region. Surgical outcomes and complications, such as pain and infection within 6 months postoperatively, were recorded. Results The surgical success rate was 100%, and the all-cause mortality rate within 1 month was 0%. An intercostal stoma was placed in 56 patients; a rectus abdominis stoma was placed in 170 patients. The duration of surgery was longer for intercostal stoma placement (37.66 ± 14.63 min) than for rectus abdominis stoma placement (30.26 ± 12.40 min) ( P  = 0.000). At 1 month postsurgery, the rate of stoma infection was greater in the intercostal group (32.1%) than in the rectus abdominis group (20.6%), but the difference was not significant ( P  = 0.077). No significant difference was observed in the infection rate between the two groups at 3 or 6 months postsurgery ( P  > 0.05). Intercostal stoma patients reported higher pain scores during the perioperative period and at 1 month postsurgery ( P  = 0.000), but pain scores were similar between the two groups at 3 and 6 months postsurgery. The perioperative complication rates for intercostal and rectus abdominis surgery were 1.8% and 5.3%, respectively ( P  = 0.464), with no significant difference in the incidence of tube dislodgement ( P  = 0.514). Patient weight improved significantly at 3 and 6 months postoperatively compared to preoperatively ( P  < 0.05). Conclusion Rectus abdominis and intercostal stomas have similar safety and efficacy. However, intercostal stomas may result in greater short-term patient discomfort.