To determine population data for infants receiving a gastrostomy tube (GT) in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to better understand the premature infant population at risk for GT prior to discharge.We identified all NICU infants born 2015-2016 who received a GT and determined the birth gestational age below which GTs were placed due to oral feeding failure secondary to prematurity-related comorbidities, rather than anomalies or other reasons. Aggregate data were used to compare infants born30 weeks (w) gestation who received a GT with those who did not.GTs were placed in 117 infants. More than half of the NICU patients who receive GTs were actually32 weeks gestation; a cut-off of30w was a good identifier for those who failed achieving full oral feeds due to prematurity-related problems. Infants born30w (n = 282) not receiving GTs were discharged at a significantly lower postmenstrual age (36w) and lower weight (2.3 kg) compared with infants who received a GT (49w, 5 kg).The population of premature infants born30w gestation constitute the population of infants at risk for a GT based solely on prematurity.III.
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