Enough is enough: Radiation doses in children with gastrojejunal tubes

Many children with gastric feeding intolerance require postpyloric tube feeding via a gastrojejunal (GJ) tube. Placement or positioning of these tubes is typically a procedure with a low dose of radiation. Although the risk of developing cancer from radiation exposure owing to computed tomography scans is well-documented in children, the risk of cumulative radiation exposure owing to frequent GJ tube replacement often goes unnoticed in the clinical decision-making process. We sought to define the frequency and cost of GJ tube replacement, quantify the radiation doses associated with the initial placement and replacements, and assess the number of conversions to surgical jejunostomies.

Source: Journal of Pediatric Surgery - September 9, 2020 Category: Surgery Authors: Niti Shahi, Ryan Phillips, Shannon N. Acker, Maxene Meier, Adam Goldsmith, Gabrielle Shirek, Patricia Ladd, Steven L. Moulton, Denis Bensard Source Type: research