Need for gastrostomy tube placement for premature infants born at 22- and 23-week gestational age: A single-center experience

Background Premature neonates are at risk for feeding difficulties, and despite early feeding therapy, some neonates require gastrostomy tube (GT) placement. This study aims to determine rates of GT placement in infants born at 22- and 23-weeks of gestation at our institution and to identify demographic and clinical risk factors associated with this outcome. Methods Institutional Review Board approval and de-identified data from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were analyzed in a REDCap database. Results GT was placed for 33 of the 72 neonates (45.8%). GT neonates had lower gestational ages (23.1 vs 23.4 weeks; P = 0.004), birth weights (532.5 vs 596.7 g; P = 0.003), and APGAR scores at 1 min (2 vs 3; P = 0.020) and 5 min (5 vs 7; P = 0.009). They also had a higher incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) diagnosed in the first week of life (45.5% vs 30.8%; P = 0.041) than those without a GT. Conclusion Despite feeding therapy, a substantial proportion of 22- and 23-week neonates require alternative feeding methods at NICU discharge. Further research is needed to determine additional risk factors and interventions in this population.