Trocar Guided Laparoscopic Feeding Jejunostomy: a Simple New Technique

Purpose: Several techniques of laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy have been described. Most of them require costly commercial kits. Here we present a novel, simple, low-cost method for laparoscopic jejunostomy tube placement.

Methods: This technique involves 4 ports. A left lateral "guide" trocar is used as a landmark for tube placement. A jejunal loop is selected and 4 vicryl sutures are placed in a diamond shape on the antimesenteric side of the intestine and left untied. These 4 stitches are extracted using a transabdominal suture grasper inserted through 4 small incisions around the left lateral guide trocar. After an enterotomy is made in the center of these 4 stitches using cautery device, the left lateral trocar is removed and a 12 Fr Foley catheter is inserted in the trocar site and introduced into the bowel. The 4 stitches are pulled toward the abdominal wall and gently tied without additional suturing. Eight patients who underwent this procedure between 2007 and 2009 were reviewed.

Results: The procedure was successful in all patients. The median operative time was 70.5 minutes. There were no postoperative complications with respect to infection, bleeding, or bowel obstruction, and no perioperative mortality.

Conclusions: Our trocar-guided approach for laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy placement is a simple, cost-effective, safe, and effective method.