Table 2.
Characteristics and baseline demographics of unsuccessful gastrostomy placements (n = 28).
| Demographics | |
| Men | 10 (36%) |
| Women | 18 (64%) |
| Mean age (year) | 56 ± 16.3 (SD) [19–90] |
| Indication | |
| Feeding | 5 (18%) |
| Decompression | 23 (82%) |
| Prior failed percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement | 19 (68%) |
| Head and neck malignancies | 1 (4%) |
| Abdominopelvic malignancies | 25 (89%) |
| Ovarian | 6 |
| Gastric | 6 |
| Colon | 3 |
| Pancreatic | 2 |
| Uterine | 2 |
| Other abdominopelvic | 6 |
| Other malignancies | 2 (7%) |
| Causes of failure | 28 |
| Inability to insufflate stomach | 12 (43%) |
| Interposition of bowel/unsafe window | 11 (39%) |
| Stomach positioned posteriorly or superiorly | 2 (7%) |
| Patient uncooperative or unable to tolerate procedure | 2 (7%) |
| Depth of subcutaneous tissue | 1 (4%) |