Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy has become the procedure of choice for the establishment of enteral feedings in most clinical settings. Minor modifications in the technique and tools of PEG may have had some effect on the type of complications seen with this procedure. The major and minor complications of PEG are reviewed with a focus on those manipulations that may assist in reducing the incidence of common complications of this procedure.

The current flu season has been more severe than the last three, with more doctor visits and more deaths from flu and pneumonia, federal health officials are reporting. The season peaked in February, when flulike illnesses accounted for 5.9 percent of doctor visits. Over all, doctor visits for these illnesses were higher than normal for 13 consecutive weeks. The death rate related to flu and pneumonia was also higher than usual for 13 consecutive weeks; at the worst point, in March, the illnesses were listed as underlying or contributing causes of death in 9.1 percent of deaths. Any rate over 6.9 percent is considered unusually high.

see table 1 for specific symptoms helping differential diagnosis of atypical pneumonia