What is a common indication for PEJ placement?

Percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ) placement is commonly indicated in situations where patients are unable to receive adequate nutrition through the oral or gastric route, particularly when gastrointestinal motility is impaired. Gastroparesis, characterized by delayed gastric emptying and resulting in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and early satiety, often necessitates alternative feeding strategies. In such cases, a PEJ allows for nutritional support directly into the jejunum, bypassing the stomach and effectively addressing the patient's nutritional needs when traditional feeding is not feasible.

While malnutrition may indeed warrant a feeding tube placement, the specific context of gastroparesis highlights the particular need for jejunal feeding to mitigate the challenges posed by delayed gastric emptying. Gastric ulcers and celiac disease may require management, but they do not inherently lead to the same urgent need for a PEJ as seen with gastroparesis.