Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026
Making MR Imaging Child's Play - Pediatric Neuroimaging Protocol, Guidelines and Procedure
Published on: July 30, 2009
Pediatric Endoscopic Procedure Complications
Thomas M Attard1, Anne-Marie Grima2, Mike Thomson3
1Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Mercy Hospital, 1MO2.37; 2401 Gilham Road, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. tmattard@cmh.edu.
Insights
Pediatric endoscopy is generally safe, though complications can occur, especially with therapeutic procedures and in high-risk patients. Physician expertise and understanding risk factors are key to minimizing adverse events in children undergoing these procedures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Medical Procedure Safety
- Clinical Research Review
Background:
- Gastrointestinal endoscopy in children is a common diagnostic and therapeutic tool.
- Understanding potential complications and risk factors is crucial for patient safety.
- Existing literature highlights the need for standardized approaches to minimize adverse events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current research on pediatric endoscopy complications.
- To define high-risk patient groups and endoscopic procedures.
- To outline evidence-based strategies for complication prevention.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of pediatric endoscopy safety.
- Analysis of complication rates based on procedure type and patient comorbidities.
- Identification of risk factors and proposed preventative measures.
Main Results:
- Significant complications are rare in healthy children but increase with therapeutic interventions and pre-existing conditions.
- Duodenal hematoma is a notable pediatric complication, particularly in hematology-oncology patients.
- Air embolism risk is associated with ERCP, a procedure increasingly performed in children.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric endoscopy is a safe procedure overall, but risks are higher for certain procedures and patient populations.
- Increased physician expertise and optimized training are vital for managing higher-risk cases.
- Further research is needed to refine risk stratification and practice organization for pediatric endoscopy.
Purpose Of Review:
This review summarizes the current body of research, define high-risk patients and endoscopic processes, and outline evidence-based countermeasures aimed at minimizing the incidence of complications during endoscopy in children.
Recent Findings:
Significant complications of endoscopy requiring emergency department or inpatient admission in otherwise healthy children are unusual, but more common with therapeutic procedures; risk from procedures increases incrementally with preoperative coexisting conditions. Duodenal hematoma is predominantly a pediatric endoscopic complication and is more likely in hematology-oncology patients. Air embolism is a well-defined endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) complication in adults and is likely to increase in children with increased performance of pediatric ERCP. Increased physician expertise is the most often proposed countermeasure, especially in the context of endoscopy complications in the higher-risk patient and procedure. Endoscopy in children remains a very safe group of procedures, although a more detailed understanding of risk factors and ideal training and practice organization is lacking.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications
01:29Endoscopic Procedures I: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
During an EGD, the endoscope can be used to:
01:25Endoscopic Procedures II: Colonoscopy
01:26Endoscopic Procedures V: ERCP
Patient...
01:26Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...
01:28Urologic Endoscopic Procedure: Cystoscopic Examination