Diagnostic utility of EUS-guided tissue acquisition in children: A tertiary care center experience

EUS is frequently utilized for tissue acquisition in adult patients. However, the literature is limited regarding the utility of EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration or biopsy (FNA or FNB) in children. In this study, we aim to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and diagnostic utility of EUS-FNA/FNB in children with various gastrointestinal diseases.

The data of children (≤18 years) who underwent EUS-FNA/FNB from March 2014 to June 2020 were analyzed, retrospectively. The following parameters were analyzed: technical success, adverse events, and impact on the final diagnosis.

Sixty-seven children (32 - boys, 14.8 ± 2.9 years, range 8-18 years), underwent EUS-guided tissue acquisition procedures using standard therapeutic echoendoscope during the study period. The indications included solid pancreatic lesions in 29 (43.3%), mediastinal or abdominal lymphadenopathy in 30 (44.7%), cystic pancreatic lesions in 5 (7.5%), subepithelial lesions in 2 (3%), and retroperitoneal mass in 1 (1.5%). EUS-FNA and-FNB were performed in 42 and 25 children, respectively. All the procedures could be successfully performed and there was no major procedure-related adverse event. Minor adverse events included self-limiting throat pain (10) and abdominal pain (3), self-limited bleeding at puncture site (3), and transient fever (1). EUS-FNA/FNB provided a histopathological diagnosis in 59 (88.1%) children.

EUS-guided tissue acquisition using standard echoendoscope is feasible and safe in the pediatric age group. EUS-FNA/FNB establishes diagnosis in majority of the children when performed for appropriate clinical indication.