[Pediatric endoscopy: state of the art]

Our society has shown always a great concern with the limits of our speciality. However, we have never approached the issue of pediatric endoscopy. For this reason, we have decided to carry our a survey to assess the present situation of endoscopy among surgeon pediatricians.

Twenty-four hospitals whose services include pediatric surgery were sent a survey centred on the following items: name of hospital, number of beds, in pediatrics, number of surgical interventions per year (which enabled us to classify the services in four groups, depending on their surgical volume), which unit is in charge of esophagus-gastroscopy, colonoscopy, esophageal dilatation, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), endoscopic retrograde colangio-pancreatography (ERCP), rigid and flexible bronchoscopy, and number of such examinations per year.

We received twenty-two answers to the survey (91,88%). The upper endoscopies are carried out in 47,43% of the cases by Pediatric Surgery, (ten units carry out the 100% of the endoscopies in their hospital). All but two ERCP are carry out by the unit of adult gastroenterology, whereas esophageal dilatation and PEG are carry out in 89.33% of cases by Pediatric Surgery. Rigid bronchoscopy is performed by Pediatric Surgery in fifteen units, while flexible bronchoscopy is performed by Pediatric Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Pneumology and Pediatrics.

The high degree of response proved the concern with strengthening certain techniques in the field of Pediatric Surgery. Esophageal dilatations and PEG are techniques in the hands of pediatric surgeons, while ERCP is in the hands of adult endoscopists. The units that offer flexible bronchoscopy carry out many more examinations. It would be necessary to reach a consensus regarding various issues related to these examinations, ranging from who is qualified to carry them out to their legal assistance.