Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in the Riverine Southwestern Ondo State of Nigeria: An Eight Year Review

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is a notable advancement in the diagnosis of diseases in the digestive tract. It offers the advantage of biopsy and a range of cost-effective therapeutic options. The aim of this research was to study the range of GI endoscopy procedures, indications, spectrum of findings and outcome of GI endoscopy in a typical private specialist gastroenterology institution in a developing country. This was a cross sectional observational study of patients referred for GI endoscopy to a referral health facility in southern Ondo, Ondo state, Nigeria from February 2012 to February 2020. The variables studied were demographics of the patients, indication, the type of endoscopic procedure carried out and outcome. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Four hundred and ninety-six cases of endoscopy were performed during the study period comprising 313(63.1%) males and 183(36.1) females. The age range was 15 months - 86years (mean age of 48.9 ± 16.2 years). Upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding were the commonest indications for endoscopy referral - 181 (36.5%). The range of procedures performed included oesophagogastroduodenoscopy 266 (52.8%) and colonoscopy 177 (35.9%); the therapeutic procedures carried out ranged from sclerotherapy 35(7.0%), polypectomy 24(5.0%), band ligation 6(1.0%), foreign body retrieval 6(1.0%) to a case of endoscopic mucosal resection EMR In our experience, the practice is safe with a high diagnostic yield and therapeutic achievement.