Upper gastrointestinal fiberoptic endoscopy in pediatric patients

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Procedures

Background:

• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in children.
• Diagnostic challenges exist in identifying the cause of GI bleeding and other upper GI issues in pediatric patients.
• Traditional diagnostic methods may be invasive or less definitive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of upper gastrointestinal fiberendoscopy in pediatric patients.
• To determine the diagnostic yield of fiberendoscopy for upper GI hemorrhage and esophageal varices.
• To assess the role of fiberendoscopy in managing pediatric patients with dysphagia, pyrosis, epigastric pain, and foreign body ingestion.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 47 pediatric patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal fiberendoscopy.
• Procedures performed under local anesthesia in most cases.
• Data collection on indications, findings, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

• Fiberendoscopy successfully established the etiology of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in pediatric patients.
• The procedure identified esophageal varices in relevant cases.
• Significant contributions were made to the management of dysphagia, pyrosis, epigastric pain, and foreign body ingestion.
• No significant patient morbidity was reported.

Conclusions:

• Upper gastrointestinal fiberendoscopy is a safe and valuable diagnostic tool in pediatric patients.
• The procedure aids in diagnosing the cause of upper GI bleeding and managing various upper GI conditions.
• Fiberendoscopy offers a low-morbidity approach for pediatric upper GI evaluations.