Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Pediatric Surgical Practice

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to focus descriptively and comparatively on the children with esophageal disorders requiring endoscopy: demographics, indications, methods, complications and outcomes. Material and Methods:The records of the children with esophageal disorders indicative of endoscopy between January 2005 and February 2020 at the department of pediatric surgery of a tertiary health care center were reviewed in terms of demographic, etiological, technical aspects; including the comparison of flexible endoscopy (FE) and rigid endoscopy (RE).Results: Endoscopy was indicated in a total of 242 children for foreign body ingestion (n=70, 28.9%), caustic ingestion (n=89, 36.8%), esophageal stricture (n=52, 21.5%) and other rare conditions (n=31, 12.8%). Fourty two of them did not undergo endoscopy, because their caregivers did not consent. Of the rest; 102 (42.1%) underwent RE, and 98 (40.5%) underwent FE. The mean age was 36.4±35.7 months. No statistically significant difference was detected between the mean ages of RE and FE groups (33.3±32.1 vs. 33.7±24.9 months, p=0.918). Most of the patients who underwent FE were significantly males (52% in FE group, 39.2% in RE group, p=0.046). Complication rate was 6.9% in RE group and no complication was detected in FE group (p=0.008). The difference of failure rates of the groups was statistically insignificant (3.9% in RE vs 0 in FE, p=0.066). Conclusion:Both rigid and flexible endoscopy techniques are effective and safe for diagnostic or therapeutic esophageal interventions. Although each has its own advantages an disadvantages, performing rigid endoscopy takes a slightly but significantly higher risk of complication.