The silicone gastrostomy catheter has replaced other surgical and radiological gastrostomy techniques as the method of choice for long-term feeding of patients unable to maintain adequate nutrition in the presence of normal gastrointestinal functioning since Ponsky and Gauderer first described this technique. When the administration period is expected to last longer than four weeks and the life expectancy of patients exceeds two months, the use of PEG is recognized as a minimally invasive procedure that does not require general anesthesia and requires less instrumentation. As a result, it is a valuable source of enteral feeding nutrition in nursing homes and home settings.
It is favored for its simplicity, utility, safety, ease of use and low cost.