Prevalence of Gastrostomy-Related Procedures in Polish Children: A Longitudinal Nationwide Analysis

<b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastrostomy-related procedures and paediatric patients undergoing these procedures, alongside temporal trends, patient profiles, and regional disparities in procedure provision. <b>Methods</b>: We analysed anonymised National Health Fund data pertaining to patients who underwent procedures at regional centres in Poland from 2010 to 2019. To assess temporal patterns, procedure counts and patient prevalence were aggregated annually, and trends over time were evaluated using the Mann-Kendall trend test. <b>Results:</b> Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) was performed in 2638 patients, while gastrostomy-other was performed in 2087 patients. The cumulative prevalence of patients during the 10-year follow-up period was as follows: PEG: 37.7 per 100,000 children; gastrostomy-other: 29.9 per 100,000 children. The procedure prevalence rates were PEG: 40.1 per 100,000 children; gastrostomy-other: 43.0 per 100,000 children. Gastrostomy-related procedures were performed most frequently in the first three years of life. <b>Conclusions:</b> Patient sex, age, and centre location influenced utilization, as shown by local variations. The increasing trend in gastrostomy procedures and the young patient age indicate the growing use of gastrostomy, with endoscopic placement being the most common. Given the rising numbers requiring gastrostomy, optimizing inter-centre collaboration could contribute to the identification and treatment of patients with special nutritional needs.