Benefits of the povidone–iodine: Simultaneously decrease risk of infection and tumor seeding after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

• Published in: Medical hypotheses Vol. 82; no. 6; pp. 678 - 680
• Main Authors: Chang, Wei-Kuo, Lin, Hsuan-Hwai, Hsieh, Tsai-Yuan, Ou, Tzu-Ming, Chen, Hsuan-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2014
• Subjects: Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal - adverse effects; Enteral Nutrition - instrumentation; Gastrostomy - adverse effects; Gastrostomy - instrumentation; Humans; Internal Medicine; Neoplasm Seeding; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms - surgery; Povidone-Iodine - pharmacology; Surgical Wound Infection - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0306-9877; 1532-2777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.03.002

Abstract Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a well-established enteral feeding modality in patients with oropharyngeal/esophageal cancer; however, these patients are at risk for two possible PEG-related complications. First, oropharyngeal organisms may be transported to the PEG stoma and thus increase the risk of peristomal infection. Second, oropharyngeal/esophageal cancer cells may adhere to the PEG tube and thus increase the risk of tumor seeding along the PEG tract. Because of its microbicidal and tumoricidal effects, povidone–iodine pretreatment of the PEG tube may decrease the risk of peristomal infection and tumor seeding associated with PEG insertion in patients with oropharyngeal/esophageal cancer. To test this hypothesis, we brushed povidone–iodine onto the outer surface of PEG tubes prior to insertion.