Diagnostic Role of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Assiut University Children Hospital

Pediatric endoscopy plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and management of various gastrointestinal and hepatological disorders in children.It allows doctors to see inside the digestive system, identify problems, and sometimes even treat them during the same procedure. It is a rapidly evolving field, with continuous advancements in both endoscopic technology and procedural skills, making it a safe, effective, and reliable diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Today, pediatric endoscopy is considered an essential part of evaluating and treating a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions in children. Accurate and timely diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders is critical to prevent complications, reduce morbidity, and ensure appropriate management. These disorders are among the most common health problems affecting children worldwide. They often present with a wide variety of symptoms, including failure to thrive, unexplained anemia, recurrent vomiting, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), acute epigastric pain, foreign body ingestion, hematemesis (vomiting blood), melena (black, tarry stools), abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, bloody diarrhea, and chronic diarrhea. At Assiut University Children Hospital, a major tertiary care center serving Upper Egypt. In recent years, there has been growing use of gastrointestinal endoscopy as a main method for diagnosing and treating various GI conditions. IT includes foreign body removal, management of caustic ingestion injuries, treatment of esophageal strictures, assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) severity, diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection through endoscopic biopsy, evaluation of eosinophilic esophagitis, management of variceal and non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding such as deep ulcerations and gastroduodenal vascular malformations. In addition, ileocolonoscopy is commonly performed to assess lower gastrointestinal disorders such as juvenile polyps, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), allergic colitis, vascular malformations, and infectious colitis.