The Proper Timing of the Replacement of the Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Foley Catheter in Brain Injured Patients

OBJECTIVE: To help adjusting the proper timing of replacement of the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) Foley catheter in brain injured patients. METHOD: Twenty one brain injured patients with PEG Foley catheter were studied and divided into three groups by indwelling duration. The balloon of Foley catheter was inflated with 5 ml of normal saline. We calculated the deflating velocity of the balloon by estimating remained amount of normal saline and indwelling duration at the time of replacement. RESULTS: In 6 patients, the PEG Foley catheter was pulled out easily before aspiration of remained normal saline. In all of these cases, remained amount of normal saline was less than 2 ml. The deflating velocities of the balloons were 0.057 +/- 0.024 ml/day in cases with 3 to 4weeks of indwelling duration, 0.066 +/- 0.005 ml/day with 4 to 5 weeks, 0.067 +/- 0.012 ml/day with above 5weeks. The mean deflating velocity was 0.063 +/- 0.016 ml/day in human. The deflating velocity was slower than that of the previous study in vitro. CONCLUSION: The mean days of deflation of the balloon of total PEG Foley catheter down to 2.5 ml were 42.1 days. We suggest that the PEG Foley catheter would be replaced within 42 days after exchange.

The Effect of Demeclocycline on the Management of Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone in Brain Injured Patient

The syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) is a frequent complication of severe head trauma. Fluid restriction is treatment choice of SIADH in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but fluid restriction is limited because they need sufficient calories. We described a patient who, on the four months after a head injury, presented with deterioration of consciousness, which coincided with the development of the SIADH, and which rapidly reversed with the correction of the hyponatremia by demeclocycline with minimal fluid restriction. We suggest that SIADH should be included in the differential diagnosis of deterioration of consciousness during the recovery period of the patients suffering from head injury because unexpected clinical deterioration may often have a reVersible cause. Also, demeclocycline will be useful, which allows for increased fluid liberalization and for provision of adequate calories, in the treatment of the SIADH in patients with TBI.