What is "gastrostomy"

Gastrostomy \Gas*tros"to*my\, n. [Gastro- + Gr. ? mouth.] (Surg.) The operation of making a permanent opening into the stomach, for the introduction of food.

n. (context surgery English) The surgical procedure for making an opening in the stomach as part of an operation.

n. surgical creation of an opening through the abdominal wall into the stomach (as for gastrogavage)

Gastrostomy is the creation of an artificial external opening into the stomach for nutritional support or gastric decompression. Typically this would include an incision in the patient's epigastrium as part of a formal operation. It can be performed through surgical approach, percutaneous approach by interventional radiology, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

The opening may be used for feeding, such as with a gastrostomy tube.