ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE EVALUATION OF PEDIATRIC DIGESTIVE DISEASES - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

Background and Study Aims: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is rarely used in pediatrics, Its feasibility and potential indications have bee n assessed in this retrospective study, Patients and Methods: Twenty-t hree EUS examinations were carried out on 18 children (mean age 12 yea rs, ranging from 4 to 16 Sears) using a mechanically rotating 7.5 and 12 MHz sector scan transducer, Upper digestive tract EUS (n = 17) was performed in children suffering from biliopancreatic diseases, angioma tosis or digestive tumors. They were performed under intravenous sedat ion. Anorectal EUS (n = 6), carried out after simple lavage in most ca ses, investigated tumors (adenomas and carcinoid tumor) ol proctologic al diseases. Results: No technical failures or complications were enco untered. EUS proved useful in the diagnosis of pancreatitis and portal hypertension. When included in pretherapeutic examinations, it provid ed useful information in cases of angiomatosis, biliary lithiasis and polyps. It was also useful in the follow-up of children after endoscop ic excision or surgical treatment of adenomas or tumors (carcinoid tum or, neurofibroma). Conclusion: EUS would therefore appear to be a prom ising technique in pediatric gastroenterology, More work is needed in order to better determine its indications and the need for equipment s pecific to children.