Gastrostomy tube normal microbiota characterization in patients managed by a metabolic support group in a high complexity institution in Bogota, Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: enteral nutrition is a viable option for patients with the need to undergo gastrointestinal tract surgery. Nowadays, due to its low morbidity and mortality, gastrostomy is one of the most used techniques for enteral feeding. The most usual cause for intolerance is an inflammatory/infectious process. The infectious process could arise from the colonization of the G-tube tip, generating a great risk of severe complications (e.g. septic shock). We seek to characterize the G-tube tip microbiota defined as the set of microorganisms that are found in this specific environment (regardless of local or systemic infections).

Materials and methods: this is a retrospective study, with patients who had enteral nutrition through G-tube that were taken to G-tube change with tip culture. We collected their clinical microbiology reports and analyzed their data to characterize the G-tube tip microbiota in each one of them.

Results: twenty-nine patients were included. The most common pathogens isolated from the G-tube tip cultures were candida species, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus.

Conclusion: in 90% of the cultures there was a multi organism colonization and at least one of the pathogens was drug resistant. This study is the first step for developing future antibiotics prophylaxis protocols and standard management for G-tube, reducing possible morbidities and finally extending universal knowledge about this topic in Latin America.

Keywords: gastrostomy, enteral feeding, microbiology, gastrointestinal surgery.