The purpose of this study was to compare the trans-abdominal (TA) and trans-oral (TO) approaches for fluoroscopic-guided gastrostomy tube placement in patients with chronic ascites.

A 10-year review of clinical imaging and medical records at a single institution identified 29 patients with chronic recurrent ascites who underwent gastrostomy (GT) or gastro-jejunostomy tube (GJT) placement. In 22 patients (18 women, 4 men) aged from 22 to 76 years of age (mean age, 57.7±13.1 years), a GT or GJT was placed with the TO approach, and in 7 (7 women) from 31 to 86 years of age (mean age, 63±16.8 years) with the TA approach.

Technical success was 100% in both groups with one (1/22; 5%) immediate complication in the TO group. Fluoroscopy time was significantly greater in the TO group (P=0.002). Leakage of ascites was significantly more frequent in the TA group (P=0.04). There was no significant difference in bleeding or inflammation (P=0.14 and P=0.43, respectively). The cumulative tract related complication rate was significantly greater in the TA group (P=0.03).

Fluoroscopy times and the overall incidence of tract-related complications, in particular leakage of ascites from the stoma, are more frequent in patients in chronic ascites who underwent TA gastrostomy tube placement compared to those who underwent TO placement.