Abstract
When endoscopic examination for UGI tract was indicated, esophago-gastro-duodenobulboscopy was routinely performed with a forward-viewing instrument (Olympus GIF-P2 or GIF-K), regardless the site primarily necessitated endoscopic observation. When it indicated, biopsy specimens were always obtained during the same endoscopic procedure. Among 1323 cases so examined, various disorders, including 81 esophageal, 408 gastric and 184 duodenal diseases, were diagnosed. Endoscopic diagnosis was usually made depending on the findings of direct observation and those of endoscopic photographs were used as additional informations. Malignancy was encountered in 48 cases, consisted of 4 cases with carcinoma of the esophagus (including 2 early cases), 43 with carcinoma of the stomach (including 10 early cases) and one with carcinoma of the duodenum. In the majority of these cases, it was possible to make a diagnosis only by endoscopic observation . However, the diagnosis of two cases with early carcinoma of the esophagus and two cases with early carcinoma of the stmach were made by histopathologic study on biopsy materials. Almost every cases with gastric ulcer, benign epithelial and non-epithelial tumor and some inflammatory disorders were also biopsied so that their diagnosis would be highly accurate. Two cases with early esophageal carcinoma and some of other esophageal disorders such as esophagitis and esophageal varices were detected by endoscopy in otherwise unexpected cases. Duodenal ulcer was very common disorder and often complicated with other gastroesophageal disorders. Therefore endoscopic examination for UGI tract should be always esophago-gastro-duodenobulboscopy by a directviewing endoscope, especially when it is an initial endoscopic examination for the patient. Since histopathological study on biopsy specimen are essential in establishing diagnosis of not only malignancy but also other disorders, an endoscopic instrument eguiped with biopsy channel is indispensable. A panendoscope, which is designed to observe from the esophagus to the duodenum and has an endoscopic biopsy system, is a first choice endoscopic instrument for UGI tract among many other kinds of endoscopes.
