HOW EFFECTIVE AND SAFE IS THE USE OF PEDIATRIC ENDOSONOGRAPHY ? A MULTI-CENTER RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Introduction: Transnasal endoscopy (TNE) is a valuable tool for endoscopic evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract while entirely avoiding the risk of general anesthesia in children. In the pediatric age group, often bronchoscopes are used for performing TNEs, which precludes the evaluation of the stomach and duodenum due to shorter length and overall suboptimal visualization. In this study, we evaluated a novel ultrathin gastroscope (EvoEndo®) in children and adults.

Methods:
This is a multicenter retrospective study between May and November 2022. There were a total of 6 participating sites across the USA. Data was collected from the electronic medical record. Primary outcome was the safety and efficacy of EvoEndo® single use transnasal gastroscope by measuring the success rate, adverse events and overall tolerability. Secondary outcomes included duration of procedure and encounter, and biopsy adequacy.

Results: Thirty six patients were recruited during the study period. Indications included dysphagia, eosinophilic esophagitis and esophageal varices surveillance. Mean age was 16.1 years ± 6.1 (6-37 years) with a male predominance (86.1%). 35/36 subjects underwent TNE for varying clinical indications and targeted anatomy. One procedure was aborted prior to initiation. 3 subjects underwent transnasal esophagoscopy (TN-Eso), 26 transnasal gastroscopy (TN-EG), and 3 transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy (TN-EGD). The procedure was successful in 91.4%. 3 procedures were unable to be completed. Two due to reported patient anxiety and swollen turbinates and 1 the upper esophageal sphincter was unable to be intubated. 50% underwent TNE for the first time. Biopsies were performed in all completed procedures except the 2 patients undergoing esophageal varices surveillance, and were adequate for histopathological analysis. Median procedure duration was 11 minutes (IQR: 7-16 minutes) and median visit duration was 33.5 minutes (IQR: 30-39 minutes). Half of the procedures were performed in the outpatient clinic setting while the other half were performed in an endoscopy suite. No significant adverse events occurred.

Conclusion: Ultrathin TNE using the EvoEndo® single use gastroscope was well tolerated and safe in the pediatric and adult age groups with a success rate similar to previously reported studies. User feedback noted EvoEndo’s single use gastroscopes provided improved visualization, further reach into the upper gastrointestinal tract, and a larger working channel allowing for diagnostic EGD in an efficient ambulatory setting without the need for general anesthesia.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is increasingly used in adults for various diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In the pediatric population, the use of EUS has been historically diagnostic, however, its use continues to evolve with an increasing trend toward minimally invasive EUS-guided therapy. In this retrospective study, we aim to describe the safety and efficacy profiles of EUS in pediatric patients across a spectrum of EUS procedures.
Methods: This is a retrospective multi-center cohort study of pediatric patients who underwent EUS procedures for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes between January 2011 and September 2022 at two US tertiary centers. Data including demographics, procedural details, and adverse events (AE) were collected. Outcomes were diagnostic success, defined as successful diagnosis using only EUS without any additional diagnostic tests, and therapeutic success, defined as using only EUS without additional therapeutic interventions.
Results: 68 pediatric patients, of which 39 were females (57.4%), between the age of 0 to 18 years, underwent 83 EUS procedures, The mean age was 16.1 ± 4.1 years, and the median weight was 67.5 kg (IQR 50.5-88.4). Indications for EUS were gastrointestinal lumen evaluation ± fine needle biopsy/aspiration (FNB/A), pancreaticobiliary tree evaluation ±FNB/A, surveillance for neoplastic syndrome, suspected lymph node (LN) or gastrointestinal (GI) mass, celiac plexus block, cystgastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy creation (Table 1). The median procedure time was 35 minutes (IQR 18.5 – 50.5). The diagnostic success rate was 98.0%, and therapeutic success rate was 100%. The EUS-related complication rate was 2.4% which included 2 cases of pancreatitis after fine needle aspiration of the pancreas. 2 cases had anesthesia-related complications.
Conclusion: In this multi-center retrospective cohort study, using EUS in pediatrics is safe and effective across various diagnostic and therapeutic intents.