Pediatric Endoscopy in Calabar, an Emerging Trend – Challenges and Prospects: A Report of Two Cases.

Abstract

Data on pediatric endoscopy in Nigeria is almost non-existent. This may be due to lack of trained pediatric endoscopist or lack of facilities. Upper gastrointestinal(GI) endoscopy is thegold standard for evaluating upper GI symptoms/diseases. The majority of gastroscopies in Nigeria are done in adults but children also present with symptoms that require it,hence the need to develop pediatric endoscopy in Nigeria. This is a report of two cases done in the only private high definition video endoscopy facility in Calabar (JIL ENDOSCOPY), Nigeria. Two female children aged 10 years and 8 years had gastroscopy for swallowed foreign body (an office pin) and upper GI bleeding respectively. These patients were referred to JIL endoscopy by Pediatricians from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital,Calabar. Conscious sedation was administered by the same anesthetist in the two cases. In the first patient, no foreign body was seen at gastroscopy while marked duodenitis was found to be responsible for the upper GI bleed in the second child. The choice of anesthesia for pediatric endoscopy has remained a topic of debate in many fora. A lot needs to be done to develop pediatric endoscopy in Nigeria.

Ulcerative colitis in a Nigerian child: case report

“…Delay or failure of diagnosis of IBD may also result from lack of awareness, denial of the presence of IBD by our physicians and limited facilities for most of the key investigations in our environment. [18][19][20] Paediatric endoscopy only started recently in Nigeria. 19,20 Perhaps with increasing use of endoscopic diagnostic facilities, more cases of IBD in children will be discovered.…”

“…[18][19][20] Paediatric endoscopy only started recently in Nigeria. 19,20 Perhaps with increasing use of endoscopic diagnostic facilities, more cases of IBD in children will be discovered.…”

Challenges and opportunities for paediatric gastroenterology in low- and middle-income countries: high time for action

“…Challenges and opportunities for paediatric gastroenterology in low-and middle-income countries: high time for action Gastroenterology remains a poorly developed subspecialty of paediatrics in many low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) [1,2]. In LMIC, general paediatricians and other health staff with no specialist training in paediatric gastroenterology often have to cope with complex gastroenterological conditions which result in delayed diagnosis, unnecessary complications and avoidable mortality.…”