Abstract
Gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed to 30 pediatric patients between the ages of 6 months and 14 years of age. Forty eight upper gastrointestinal endoscopical examination were performed to 22 patients between 1 year and 14 years of age. Nine lower gastrointesti-nal endoscopical examinations were performed to 8 cases between the ages of 6 months and 14 years of age. Of 22 cases wifh upper gastrointestinal sereis, 5 had duodenal ulcer, 3 had foreign bodies, 2 had congenital esophageal stricture and 1 had gastric ulcer. Endoscopic removal of foreign bodies successfully perfomed to all of the three cases. All of them were coins; one was in the esophagus and others were in the stomach. Stomach foreign bodies were removed endoscopically because they were failed progression through the gastroinetstinal tract dispite of following up for 5 days and 12 days respectively. Of 8 cases with lower gastrointestinal sereis, a case had ulcerative colitis and one had juvenile polyp. Endoscopic polypectomy was successfully performed to the cases of juvenile polyp by so-called "intraoperative endoscopy". Six cases under the age of ten were examined under general anesthesia and others received only local (pharyngeal) anesthesia in upper gastrointestinal sereis. Only 1 year old in f ant received general anesthesia and others received no anesthesia in lower gastrointestinal sereis. As to the instrument the thinnest fiberscope, Olympus GIF-P, (connecting part: 9 mm in diameter, bending part: 8.8 mm in diameter, bending angle : up 180° and down 60°, right and left 100°) were used in the most procedures (70%) of upper gastrointestinal sereis. Machida Romanoscopy (∅20 mm) and Olympus Colonofiberscope (∅13.6 mm) were used in 66 % and 22 % of lower gastrointinal sereis. No complication was observed in these sereis. It is concluded that gastrointestinal endoscopy is useful for the diagnosis and treatment to the pediatric patients with gastrointesti-nal disease as to the adult patients and can be performed safely under general anesthesia if necessary.
