Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Tube Migration Complicated With Acute Pancreatitis: A Clinical Case Study

Acute pancreatitis is characterized by the premature activation of pancreatic enzymes leading to autodigestion and inflammation, commonly caused by gallstones or chronic alcohol consumption. However, iatrogenic factors, such as migration of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube, can be a cause of acute pancreatitis but are less frequently reported in the literature. This is a case of a 77-year-old male patient with a medical history significant for myasthenia gravis with dysphagia requiring a PEG tube placement who presented with abdominal pain and elevated lipase levels. Imaging revealed that the PEG tube had moved further inside the stomach compressing the pancreatic duct, causing acute pancreatitis. Repositioning the tube relieved the obstruction and normalized the patient's lipase levels, emphasizing the need for regular monitoring of PEG tube placement to prevent such complications. Clinicians should consider PEG tube migration in the differential diagnosis of acute pancreatitis to ensure timely and effective management.