Effect of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement on the Outcome of the Fecal Occult Blood Test

Abstract

Background: Patients undergoing percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement represent a population of patients with a background of serious disease, many at risk from gastrointestinal hemorrhage. It is common practice to monitor stool for GI blood loss using the FOBT. It is unknown whether the presence of a gastrostomy tube will render the FOBT positive. We evaluated a population for the effect of tube placement on FOBT outcome.