Pediatric Gastrointestinal Endoscopy at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Two-Year Analysis of Procedures and Endoscopic Findings.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal endoscopy has become an essential diagnostic and therapeutic modality in pediatric patients. Despite its widespread use, reports describing the experience of tertiary care centers, particularly in Latin America, remain scarce. This study aimed to characterize the demographic profile, clinical indications, endoscopic procedures, endoscopic findings, and histopathological outcomes of pediatric patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy at a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: A retrospective, observational, descriptive study was conducted including all gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures performed in patients younger than 18 years of age over a two-year period. Demographic characteristics, type of procedure, clinical indications, endoscopic findings, therapeutic interventions, diagnostic yield, and histopathological results were collected from electronic medical records and endoscopy reports. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 88 endoscopic procedures were performed in 77 pediatric patients, with a mean age of 12.18 years (range: eight months to 17 years). Male patients accounted for 64 of 88 procedures (72.7%). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was the most frequently performed procedure (71/88, 80.7%), followed by colonoscopy (15/88, 17%) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (2/88, 2.3%). The leading indications were gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), lower gastrointestinal bleeding, and foreign body ingestion. Clinically significant endoscopic findings were identified in 76 procedures (86.3%), with gastropathy, esophagitis, and foreign bodies representing the most common diagnoses. Tissue biopsies were obtained in 43 procedures (48.9%), and histopathological abnormalities were identified in 36 of 43 (83.7%) biopsy specimens, predominantly chronic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated a high diagnostic yield in pediatric patients managed at a tertiary care hospital. Upper gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders represented the predominant endoscopic findings, while foreign body ingestion remained one of the leading indications in younger children. These findings provide an overview of the spectrum of pediatric gastrointestinal diseases encountered in a tertiary referral center and support the role of gastrointestinal endoscopy as a safe and effective diagnostic tool in this population.