Aim: The authors evaluate their experience with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in children at the age of three months to 14 years. Cohort: Forty three patients treated with this method in the years 1995–2002. Methods: The percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is applied in children under general anesthesia. In two patients only it proved to be necessary to convert to open or laparoscopic gastrostomy. Results: Only minor complications were encountered. Conclusions: It became obvious that percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a suitable method to provide long-term enteral nutrition in children of child age who may not be nourished sufficiently by natural ways.

        Key words: gastroscopy – percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy – enteral nutrition