Endoscopic ultrasonography in pediatric patients--Experience from a tertiary care center in India.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is used in the management of various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in adults, data on its role in children is limited. This study evaluated the indications, safety, and impact of EUS in children.

METHODS

Records of children (<18 years age) who underwent EUS between January 2006 and September 2014 were reviewed retrospectively and analyzed.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-one children (70 males, 51 females) aged 15.2 ± 2.9 years (mean ± SD) underwent 123 diagnostic (including fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in 7) and 2 therapeutic EUS procedures. Conscious sedation was used in 81 procedures (65%) and general anesthesia in 44 (35%). The pancreaticobiliary system was evaluated in 114 (118 procedures), mediastinum in 5, and stomach in 2 patients. EUS diagnosed chronic pancreatitis (21 patients), pancreatic necrosis (1), splenic artery pseudoaneurysm (1), gastric varix (1), pseudocysts (3), insulinomas (2), other pancreatic masses (2), choledocholithiasis (2), choledochal cysts (2), portal biliopathy (1), esophageal leiomyoma (1), gastric neuroendocrine tumor (NET) (1), and GI stromal tumor in stomach (1). EUS-guided FNAC was positive in four of seven patients (two had tuberculosis, one pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumor, and one gastric NET). Three patients had minor adverse events. EUS had a positive clinical impact in 43 (35.5%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

EUS is feasible and safe in children. It provides valuable information that helps in their clinical management.