Aim
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube is an important method of enteral feeding for patients who require temporary or long‐term artificial nutritional support to prevent or correct disease‐related malnutrition. However, there is paucity of data on the utility of short‐term PEG tube placements in acute illnesses in cognitively intact older adults.
Methods
We present a series of seven, cognitively intact patients (age range 72–93 years), who had PEG tubes placed for short periods. These patients were diagnosed with “failure to thrive” and were managed by placing a PEG tube temporarily for nutritional management. None of these patients had terminal illness or hospice eligibility, and all of the patients were community dwellers.
Results
All of the elderly patients experienced good outcomes in terms of their functional status and nutritional support.
Conclusions
Our series clearly supports the notion that short‐term PEG tube placement in cognitively intact elderly patients could be a successful strategy to support them during an episode of acute illness, and to improve their nutritional deficits and survival. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 572–578.