If a person is having ongoing and serious trouble swallowing and can’t get enough food or liquids by mouth, a feeding tube may be put directly into the stomach through the abdominal skin. This procedure is called a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). The tube allows feeding directly into the gastrointestinal tract to occur by bypassing the mouth and esophagus (the “food tube” leading to the stomach).

During the procedure, the doctor will insert an endoscope through your mouth and into the stomach. Through a camera on the endoscope, the doctor will view the stomach lining to determine the PEG tube insertion site. A small incision will be made in the abdominal wall to insert the feeding tube.