Gastrostomy is the creation of an artificial external opening into the stomach for nutritional support or gastric decompression. Typically this would include an incision in the patient's epigastrium as part of a formal operation. It can be performed through surgical approach, percutaneous approach by interventional radiology, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

The opening may be used for feeding, such as with a gastrostomy tube.

Fujimoto et al present a case of an esophageal submucosal hematoma that developed after endovascular treatment for coil embolization for an unruptured intracranial aneurysm. The patient had received antiplatelet therapy before surgery and anticoagulation therapy during surgery. The orogastric tube was removed at case end with sustained negative pressure. After surgery, the patient reported chest and back pain and was diagnosed with an esophageal submucosal hematoma. The hematoma might have been related to the gastric tube insertion or removal. Providers should keep in mind the possibility of this complication when a patient who was given antithrombotic therapy reports chest or back pain after surgery ¹⁾.