Paediatric Gastrointestinal Endoscopies: An Overview of Bowel Preparation and Complications - Abstract
Objective: To evaluate adequacy of bowel preparation and complications during paediatric gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. Design: A retrospective service evaluation project Place and Duration: All patients < 18 years of age undergoing oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD), colonoscopy or both at Royal Derby Hospital United Kingdom over a 12-month period in 2021. Methodology: Patient characteristics (age and sex) combined with reasons for undergoing the procedure and complications during/after the procedure were recorded. All eligible patients received picolax sachet to prepare the bowel before colonoscopy. Adequacy of bowel preparation was subjectively analysed by the endoscopists during the procedure. 100% of the procedures were performed under general anaesthesia given by paediatric anaesthetist. Results: A total of 76 procedures were carried out on 60 patients (50% female) with median age of 13 years. Various reasons for undergoing OGD, colonoscopy or both included epigastric pain (35%), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (15%), rectal bleeding (13%) and likely coeliac disease (12%). No complications were encountered during or after the procedure. Two minor post-procedural events were recorded which resolved promptly, thereby not requiring hospital admission or overnight stay. Only 11% of bowel preparations were classified as poor. Conclusion: All the paediatric GI endoscopies at Royal Derby Hospital were deemed safe with satisfactory bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy. Further research is warranted to explore and recommend an ideal laxative combination prior to colonoscopy in children.