Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding In Children Research Articles

Clinical Spectrum of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Pediatric Age Group: An Experience From a Tertiary Care Hospital of Bangladesh

Background: The bleeding occurring proximal to the ligament of the treitz is known as Upper GI bleeding. The patient may present with hematemesis or melena. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children can result in complex and perhaps fatal clinical circumstances. It fluctuates significantly depending on changes in the patient’s demographics and other diseases. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted at the Department of Paediatrics, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka. The study was conducted during the period of Jan’2020 to July 2022. The total number of study patients was 92. Result: The most extensive prevalence of UGIB is found in children aged 5 to 10 years (71.4%), followed by those aged 1 to 12 years (26.8%). Varices accounted for 67 (72.8%) of the UGIB causes, followed by erosive gastritis (6.5%), stomach ulcers (3.3%), esophagitis (2.2%), and Mallory Weiss tears (1.1%), with 13 (14.1%) of them being judged to be normal. Pallor was the most common presenting symptom, making up 82 (89.1%), then hematemesis 61(66.3%) and melena 30.4%, splenomegaly 55(59.8%), hematemesis plus melena (30.4%), hepatomegaly (28.3%), jaundice (15.6%), and melena (3.3%). Conclusion: Hematemesis is the most common presenting symptom of upper GI haemorrhage, which is more common in kids between the ages of 5 and 10. Esophageal varices were the most common source of intestinal bleeding. J Dhaka Med Coll. 2022; 31(2) : 215-219

Haemostatic spray in the management of acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children: A single‐centre experience in Singapore

AbstractIntroduction/ObjectivesHaemostatic spray (HS; Hemospray) is a powder agent for endoscopic haemostasis in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). It has been shown to be effective and easy to administer. However, published data on efficacy and safety in children remain scarce. Our aim was to describe our experience with the use of HS in the management of UGIB.Patients and MethodsA retrospective review was conducted of patients aged 0–18 receiving HS for endoscopic haemostasis from January 2017 to December 2021. Information was obtained on demographics, clinical presentation and comorbidities. Outcomes were successful initial haemostasis and rates of re‐bleeding.ResultsA total of 25 applications of HS occurred in 23 patients. The median patient age was 8 years (range: 4 months to 16 years). HS was used in 17/25 (68%) applications as monotherapy. Other treatments employed were clip application and adrenaline injection. One hundred per cent initial haemostasis was achieved with three (13.0%) patients who experienced re‐bleeding. All patients tolerated HS applications with no adverse events.ConclusionsOur finding supports the use of HS in the management of UGIB in children. HS, either as monotherapy or in combination with other conventional therapy, could potentially be the treatment of choice in children with UGIB with its excellent feasibility and good safety profile.

Age-specific causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children.

The etiology of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) varies by age, from newborns to adolescents, with some of the causes overlapping between age groups. While particular causes such as vitamin K deficiency and cow's milk protein allergy are limited to specific age groups, occurring only in neonates and infants, others such as erosive esophagitis and gastritis may be identified at all ages. Furthermore, the incidence of UGIB is variable throughout the world and in different hospital settings. In North America and Europe, most UGIBs are non-variceal, associated with erosive esophagitis, gastritis, and gastric and duodenal ulcers. In recent years, the most common causes in some Middle Eastern and Far Eastern countries are becoming similar to those in Western countries. However, variceal bleeding still predominates in certain parts of the world, especially in South Asia. The most severe hemorrhage arises from variceal bleeding, peptic ulceration, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Hematemesis is a credible indicator of a UGI source of bleeding in the majority of patients. Being familiar with the most likely UGIB causes in specific ages and geographic areas is especially important for adequate orientation in clinical settings, the use of proper diagnostic tests, and rapid initiation of the therapy. The fundamental approach to the management of UGIB includes an immediate assessment of severity, detecting possible causes, and providing hemodynamic stability, followed by early endoscopy. Unusual UGIB causes must always be considered when establishing a diagnosis in the pediatric population because some of them are unique to children. Endoscopic techniques are of significant diagnostic value, and combined with medicaments, may be used for the management of acute bleeding. Finally, surgical treatment is reserved for the most severe bleeding.

PREDICTIVE FACTORS OF MORBIDITY ASSOCIATED WITH ESOPHAGEAL VARICEAL BLEEDING IN CHILDREN WITH PORTAL HYPERTENSION.

•Most data on the natural history of portal hypertension come from studies in adults. •The morbidity rate of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children with portal hypertension tend to be underestimated. •This study showed the relevance of morbidity rates after variceal hemorrhage in pediatric patients, especially those with cirrhosis. •Patients with hemodynamic instability requiring blood transfusion or expansion on admission are at increased risk of complications secondary to upper gastrointestinal bleeding and should be closely monitored. Background - Most data on the natural history of portal hypertension come from studies in adults. The morbidity rate of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in children with portal hypertension has not been systematically characterized. Objective - To describe the morbidity and mortality of UGIB in pediatric patients with portal hypertension and identify predictive factors for the occurrence of its main complications. Methods - This retrospective study included pediatric patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension or with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO). Mortality and UGIB complications within a period of up to 6 weeks of the bleeding were investigated. To determine the predictive factors of morbidity, a multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression; all results were considered significant at P<0.05. Results - A total of 86 patients (51.2% with EHPVO and 48.8% with cirrhosis) had 174 bleeding events. Ascites was the most common complication (43.1% of all cases), being more prevalent in patients with cirrhosis (P<0.001). Cirrhosis was a predictor of the occurrence of any morbidity (OR 20.3). The need for blood transfusion was predictor of at least one complication (OR 5.8), ascites (OR 7.2) and infections (OR 3.8) in the general group and at least one complication (OR 11.3) and ascites (OR 5.8) in cirrhotic patients. The need for expansion was a predictor of any morbidity (OR 4.6) and infections (OR 3.9) in the general group, in addition to being predictor of infection in cirrhotic patients (OR 5.4). There were no deaths from UGIB in the six weeks post-bleeding. Conclusion - The study showed the relevance of morbidity after UGIB in pediatric patients with portal hypertension, especially in those with cirrhosis. The patients with hemodynamic instability requiring blood transfusion or expansion on admission are at increased risk of complications related to upper gastrointestinal bleeding and should be closely monitored.

Practical Aspects of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Children.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB) in children is a potentially life-threatening condition that represents a challenge for pediatricians and pediatric surgeons. It is defined as bleeding from any location within the upper esophagus to the ligament of Treitz. UGB can have many causes that vary with age. The impact on the child is often proportional to the amount of blood lost. This can range from mild bleeding that is unlikely to cause hemodynamic instability, to massive bleeding that requires admission to the intensive care unit. Proper and prompt management are very important factors in reducing morbidity and mortality. This article aims to summarize current research regarding the diagnosis and treatment of UGB. Most of the data used in the literature published on this subject is extrapolated from adulthood.

Analysis of risk factors for ulcer recurrence and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children with peptic ulcer treated with Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.

The incidence of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) has been increasing yearly, especially in the adolescent population. The eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may reduce recurrence and bleeding to some extent, but it does not completely change the clinical status of PUD. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the risk factors for ulcer recurrence and upper gastrointestinal bleeding after H. pylori eradication therapy in order to provide a reference for reducing the risk of PUD and improving the quality of life of patients. We retrospectively analyzed 536 adolescent patients who developed peptic ulcer and received H. pylori eradication therapy from June 2016 to July 2021. The relationship between the clinical characteristics of the patients and gastrointestinal bleeding and recurrence was analyzed using the t-test and chi-squared test. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for the occurrence of bleeding and recurrence. A total of 536 patients were included in this retrospective study. Gender, history of ulcers, number, size, location and staging of ulcers, and application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and other characteristics were significantly different between the bleeding and nonbleeding groups (P<0.05); family history of upper gastrointestinal ulcer, history of ulcers, number and size of ulcers and application of NSAIDs, and other characteristics were significantly different between the recurrent and nonrecurrent groups (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that history of ulcers, number and location of ulcers, coagulation abnormalities, and other characteristics were independent risk factors for the occurrence of bleeding; the occurrence of previous bleeding, number and size of ulcers, and other characteristics were independent risk factors for recurrence. In the clinical treatment of adolescent patients, it is important to pay high attention to clinical characteristics, such as the patient's previous ulcer history, the size, number and location of ulcers, and coagulation function, so as to adopt individualized treatment methods to effectively reduce the harmfulness of the disease in response to the risk factors of ulcer bleeding and recurrence after H. pylori eradication therapy. This can decrease the occurrence of complications and improve the prognosis of patients.

Clinico Etiological Profile of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Children from Northernmost India

Background: Gastrointestinal bleeding in children has a reported incidence of 6.4%. The study is done to look for the clinico-etiological profile of Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding in children aged up to 18 years. Methods: This is a prospective, observational study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, J&amp;K, Srinagar, India from December 2019 to December 2021. Children below 18 years of age presenting with hematemesis and/or malena were included. History, clinical exam, and laboratory tests were undertaken. Upper GI endoscopy was done within 24 hours of bleeding or after stabilization. Bleeding was divided into variceal and non-variceal, depending on the Upper GI scopy findings. Results: A total of 95 patients were included. 74/95 (77.9%) were in the age group of 06-18 years. Hematemesis was the most common presenting symptom. Bleeding was non-variceal and variceal in 55/95 (57.90%), and 40/95 (42.10%) cases respectively. Bleeding was major and minor in 51/95 (53.5%) and 44/95 (46.45%) respectively. EHPVO was the most common cause of variceal bleeds in 39/40 (97.5%) cases. Major bleed was variceal and non–variceal origin in 34/51(66.7%) and 17/51(33.3%) cases respectively; p-value&lt;0.001. Variceal bleed was more common above 6 years of age (69.2% cases). Anemia was present in 63.2% of patients at the time of presentation. Splenomegaly was clinically evident in 40.6% of cases, 94.7% were due to EHPVO. Conclusion: UGIB is more common in the 06-18 years age group. It is predominantly non-variceal in origin. Most of the major bleeds are due to variceal etiology. EHPVO and gastritis are the most common cause of variceal and non-variceal bleed respectively.

Hemosuccus Pancreaticus Following Acute Pancreatitis in a 12-years-old Boy Secondary to Pancreatic Pseudoaneurysm Treated With Endovascular Coil Embolization

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is a very rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children. It is defined as bleeding from the pancreatic or peripancreatic vessels into the main pancreatic duct and may be life-threatening. We present the case of a 12-year-old boy with hematemesis and severe anemia that developed following an episode of acute pancreatitis. Upper endoscopy did not reveal a bleeding source. An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography performed for the evaluation of common bile duct obstruction identified bleeding from the pancreatic duct. Subsequently, the bleeding source, a pseudoaneurysm of the splenic artery, was identified by conventional angiography and occluded with coil embolization. The diagnosis of hemosuccus pancreaticus may be difficult in children due to rare occurrence and the unusual anatomical site; hence, a high index of suspicion is needed in a patient with a history of pancreatitis who presents with intermittent upper gastrointestinal bleeding and normal upper endoscopy.

Endoscopic Findings and Associated Factors in Children with Hematemesis

Background Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) and especially upper GIB in children under 18 years, is underestimated compared to the adult population. Although mortality rate in this group of patients is reported to be about 2 percent, the role of early endoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of underlying causes and prevention of recurrence is essential. We aimed to evaluate endoscopic findings in children with hematemesis and assess the relationships between these findings and demographic/clinical variables. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we have studied the medical records of 102 patients from November 2017 to November 2018, under 18 years who referred to Children’s Medical Center with hematemesis and had undergone the endoscopic procedure. The demographic information, past medical history, history of using NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs), accompanying symptoms, laboratory records, and endoscopic findings were investigated. Results: Participants are mostly between 6-11 years old (52.9%, n=54). The most common accompanying symptom is non-bleeding vomiting (52%, n=51). Patients with a history of using NSAIDs had a significantly higher rate of gastric ulcers (P-value

Current status and future challenges in the endoscopic management of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children.

This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) in children and the outcomes of endoscopic hemostasis (EH) performed by pediatric surgeons. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients with NVUGIB who had undergone esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at our hospital, between December 2006 and March 2020. Thirty-six patients were included. The most common endoscopic diagnosis was gastritis (28%), followed by gastric ulcer (25%) and duodenal ulcer (25%). Thirty patients (83%) had underlying diseases, including a recent viral infection (39%), followed by Helicobacter pylori infection (14%). Fourteen patients (39%) underwent EH, exhibiting a high initial rate of hemostasis (100%). This was achieved in 12/14 patients by clipping. One patient was treated using a combination of a hypersaline and epinephrine (HSE) injection and coagulation therapy, as the ulcer exceeded the width of the hemoclips. Rebleeding occurred in one patient (7.1%) initially treated with pure ethanol injections. The partial view of the pediatric duodenum prevented the placement of hemoclips; hence, the patient was treated using a combination of HSE and coagulation therapy. Clipping, injection, and/or coagulation therapy can lead to high success rates for hemostasis, considering the anatomical characteristics in a pediatric population.

Pediatric upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children: etiology and treatment approaches

Objective: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB) is one of the most important and serious cause of emergency admission in childhood. The aim of the study was to evaluate the etiological factors and the treatment approaches in patients with UGB. Methods: In this retrospective study, children with UGB admitted to emergency clinics of Istanbul Health Sciences University Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul Bakirkoy Sadi Konuk Research and Training Hospital and Diyarbakir Children’s Hospital were evaluated between January 2014 and August 2017. Results: Of the 198 children, 14.6% had non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) history, and 12.6% had chronic liver disease. We detected esophagitis, esophagus varices and peptic ulcer with upper gastrointestinal endoscopic evaluation (47%, 11.1%, 18.1%, respectively). Helicobacter pylori was found in 61.6% of patients. Endoscopic therapeutic procedures (band ligation therapy, sclerotherapy, and adrenaline injection) were appied in 11.1% of patients. Eighty-four (42.4%) patients were hospitalized, and erythrocyte transfusion (ET) was ordered in 29 (14.6%) patients. Conclusion: Approximately in 20% of the pediatric patients, the source of gastrointestinal bleeding is the upper gastrointestinal system. The cause of UGB varies with age. Appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are very important for management and to reduce mortality.

Analysis of risk factors and development of scoring system to predict severity of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition in children. Herein, clinical features and risk factors in children with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were analyzed, and a clinical scoring system was constructed to assess severity. This retrospective cohort study involved 224 children hospitalized with upper gastrointestinal bleeding between January 2012 and April 2018. Demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory test results on admission were statistically examined. Out of 224 upper gastrointestinal bleeding cases, 76 were diagnosed as severe and 148 as mild cases according to the rate of blood loss and severity. Severe group was significantly different from mild group in 23 items including age, number of patients aged more than 7years, and so forth (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Positive detection rate of bleeding etiology was gradually decreased (P<0.01) in relation to delay in timing of endoscopy. Analysis of logistic regression evinced five independent risk factors for severe cases to be associated with poor consciousness, hemoglobin<80g/L, hemoglobin drop of >20g/L, hematochezia, and anemic appearance (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Using these five parameters, a number of scoring models were tested. The most predictive resulted in a scoring system constructed with a total of 16 and a cutoff for intervention of 8. Amalgamation of risk factors with the scoring system plays an important role in assessing upper gastrointestinal bleeding severity in children.

There Is No Excuse for Mortality Due to Lack of Competency and Training of Paediatric Endoscopists in Gastrointestinal Bleeding Therapy in 2018.

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children is possibly the last medical emergency which continues to lead to the death of a child due to the lack of competency/clinical judgement of the doctor, as opposed to the disease itself, leading to mortality despite optimum medical intervention. This is unacceptable in any circumstances in 2018. It occurs due to a number of conspiring factors including lack of appreciation of the clinical presentation requiring urgent endoscopic intervention; misapprehension of the urgency of timing required of such an intervention predicated on the severity of the gastrointestinal (GI) bleed; lack of application of a paediatric-specific validated score predicting for such endoscopic intervention; lack of skill in endo-haemostatic intervention techniques by paediatric endoscopists; poor training in such techniques among paediatric endoscopists; paucity of cases with lack of exposure of the paediatric endoscopist regularly to enable skills to be maintained, once acquired; reluctance of adult endoscopists in many centres to support paediatric GI bleeding services. In essence then the paediatric GI community urgently needs to identify centres of excellence to whom these children should be transferred. Transfer is safe in all but the most critical cases once stabilised with transfusion, octreotide/terlipressin and iv proton pump inhibitors. The resources are country-dependent but this is really no excuse. We must not let this parlous state of affairs continue. Solutions are explored in this article and please let this serve as a call to action for all those involved in this continuing debacle in order to save "save-able" lives.

Multimodality imaging of the Meso-Rex bypass.

Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) is the most common cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children. It is defined as thrombosis of the extrahepatic portal vein with or without extension to the intrahepatic portal veins. The Meso-Rex shunt is the gold standard treatment in children with favorable anatomy since it restores physiological portal liver reperfusion. This is achieved by rerouting the splanchnic venous blood through an autologous graft from the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) into the Rex recess of the left portal vein, curing portal hypertension by doing so. General and hepatobiliary radiologists must be familiar with multimodality imaging appearances of EHPVO and with the role of imaging in identifying suitable candidates for Meso-Rex bypass surgery. Imaging might also detect complications of this procedure, some of which might be treated via interventional radiology.

The Use and Safety of a Novel Haemostatic Spray in the Endoscopic Management of Acute Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Children.

Advanced endohaemostatic technique performance and experience is extremely variable in distribution amongst paediatric endoscopists. Haemostatic spray (Hemospray), a novel endohaemostatic topically applied powder has the advantage of extreme ease of use and; hence may lower the threshold of competency required by the endoscopist thereby potentially reducing mortality. The aim of the study is to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and the safety of haemostatic spray in paediatric patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB). Prospective enrolment of children with AUGIB (Group 1) occurred, either as primary therapy or as an adjunct to standard endohaemostatic therapeutic techniques. Patients were assessed for likely need for endohaemostatic intervention of >8 of 24 of the paediatric Sheffield AUGIB score.A follow-up endoscopy occurred in those deemed to have clinical need pre-discharge. For comparison, another group (Group 2) of patients, who received conventional endohaemostatic treatment in the preceding 36 months, were reviewed. A total of 20 applications of Hemospray occurred in 17 patients (8 boys, median (range) age: 6.5 years (2 days to 17.75 years) and a total of 29 patients were enrolled in Group 2 (16 boys, median [range] age: 5.1 [0.25-17.0]). All patients tolerated haemostatic spray applications with no adverse events. The haemostatic spray group achieved 100% initial haemostasis with 18% rebleeding rate, although only a 6% failure rate after re-application. In the conventional group, similar 100% initial haemostasis was achieved with 24% rebleeding rate and 7% failure rate necessitating surgical interventions. This paediatric series suggests that monotherapy with haemostatic spray is as effective as conventional approaches in the management of AUGIB.

The Importance of Endoscopy as a Useful Method for Diagnosis of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Children

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is recognized as a life-threatening emergency condition among children and parents, which requires prompt assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of upper endoscopy in determining the cause of UGIB in a pediatric population. Methods: In this retrospective study performed at Ali-Ibn-Abi-Taleb hospital, records of all children with UGIB (below 14 years) were evaluated. Subjects with incomplete information were excluded from the study. Results: A total of 101 patients with the mean ± SD age of 6.8 ± 3.99 years were included in this study (45 females, 56 males). The clinical presentations included hematemesis in 77 (76%) cases, melena in 6 (5.9%) cases, and both in 18 (17.8) cases. The upper endoscopy showed a high diagnostic yield (90%) in determining the cause of UGIB. The most common source of bleeding was esophageal varices in 32 (31.7%) children, followed by peptic ulcer disease (n, 17; 16.8%), gastritis (n, 11; 10.9%), and hiatal hernia. No cause of UGIB was found in 10 (9.9%) cases. Conclusions: Esophageal varices and peptic ulcer disease were the most common causes of UGIB in our center. Considering the valuable role of endoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of UGIB, early referral to a hospital with pediatric endoscopy is recommended.

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Children: A Tertiary United Kingdom Children's Hospital Experience.

The aim of this study was to review the aetiology, presentation and management of these patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) at a tertiary children’s unit in the United Kingdom. This was a retrospective single-institution study on children (<16 years) who presented with acute UGIB over a period of 5 years using known International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. A total of 32 children (17 males, 15 females) were identified with a total median age at presentation of 5.5 years. The majority (24/32) of patients presented as an emergency. A total of 19/32 presented with isolated haematemesis, 8/32 with isolated melaena and 5/32 with a combination of melaena and haematemesis. On admission, the mean haemoglobin of patients who presented with isolated haematemesis was 11 g/dL, those with isolated melaena 9.3 g/dL and those with a combination 7.8 g/dL. Blood transfusion was required in 3/19 with haematemesis and 3/5 with haematemesis and melaena. A total of 19/32 underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Endoscopic findings were oesophageal varices (5/19) of which 4 required banding; bleeding gastric ulcer (1/19) requiring clips, haemospray and adrenaline; gastric vascular malformation (1/19) treated with Argon plasma coagulation therapy; duodenal ulcer (3/19) which required surgery in two cases; oesophagitis (5/19); and gastritis +/− duodenitis (3/19). A total of 13/32 patients did not undergo endoscopy and the presumed aetiology was a Mallory–Weiss tear (4/13); ingestion of foreign body (2/13); gastritis (3/13); viral illness (1/13); unknown (2/13). While UGIB is uncommon in children, the morbidity associated with it is very significant. Melaena, dropping haemoglobin, and requirement for a blood transfusion appear to be significant markers of an underlying cause of UGIB that requires therapeutic intervention. A multi-disciplinary team comprising gastroenterologists and surgeons is essential.

Evaluation of endoscopic secondary prophylaxis in children and adolescents with esophageal varices.

- Bleeding of esophageal varices is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adults with portal hypertension and there are few studies involving secondary prophylaxis in children and adolescents. - To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic secondary prophylaxis in prevention of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children and adolescents with esophageal varices. - This is a prospective analysis of 85 patients less than 18 years of age with or without cirrhosis, with portal hypertension. Participants underwent endoscopic secondary prophylaxis with sclerotherapy or band ligation. Eradication of varices, incidence of rebleeding, number of endoscopic sessions required for eradication, incidence of developing gastric fundus varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy were evaluated. - Band ligation was performed in 34 (40%) patients and sclerotherapy in 51 (60%) patients. Esophageal varices were eradicated in 81.2%, after a median of four endoscopic sessions. Varices relapsed in 38 (55.1%) patients. Thirty-six (42.3%) patients experienced rebleeding, and it was more prevalent in the group that received sclerotherapy. Gastric varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy developed in 38.7% and 57.9% of patients, respectively. Patients undergoing band ligation showed lower rebleeding rates (26.5% vs 52.9%) and fewer sessions required for eradication of esophageal varices (3.5 vs 5). - Secondary prophylaxis was effective in eradicating esophageal varices and controlling new upper gastrointestinal bleeding episodes due to the rupture of esophageal varices. Band ligation seems that resulted in lower rebleeding rates and fewer sessions required to eradicate varices than did sclerotherapy.

Clinico-etiological pattern of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children

Background: Upper GI bleeding (UGIB) is defined as bleeding occurring proximal to ligament of treitz. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) can lead to potentially serious and life-threatening clinical situation in children. Globally, the cause of UGIB differs significantly depending on variations in patient population and the presence of comorbid conditions. The objective of this study was to understand the clinico-etiological pattern of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children in the age group 5-18 years, at a tertiary care centre in central India.Methods: This prospective study was carried out at a tertiary health care centre between January 2011 and August 2012. We consecutively enrolled all patients in the age group 5-18 years who came to our centre with hematemesis or hematemesis and malena both. Blood sample for CBC, stool sample for occult blood was taken and Ultrasonography of abdomen for liver echotexture, portal vein diameter/pressure and splenomegaly, done. Then, all patients underwent upper gastro intestinal endoscopy (Olympus GIF-V70 upper GI video endoscope).Results: Total 112 patients were included in the study during the study period. UGIB is most common in the age group 5-10 years (71.4%), followed by 10-14 years (26.8%). Hematemesis is the most common presenting symptom (75%) followed by both hematemesis and melena (25%). The most common causes of UGIB on EGD were oesophageal or gastric varices (91.1%) followed by erosive gastritis (5.3%), gastric ulcer (1.8%) and esophagitis (1.8%). Most common finding on ultrasonography (USG) abdomen was extra-hepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) 75%, followed by liver cirrhosis (16.1%). No abnormality was detected on USG in 8.9% of patients.Conclusions: We conclude that Upper GI bleeding is more common in 5-10 years age group with hematemesis as the main presenting symptom. The causes of upper GI bleeding in children in developing countries are different from those in developed countries (variceal bleeding due to extra hepatic portal venous obstruction is the most common cause and peptic ulcer is rare).

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Treatment in Children - A Difficult Challenge for the Doctor

In order to make the appropriate treatment is necessary an accurate diagnosis. This is also true for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children. It is not always easy to sustain the diagnosis, but using current methods we can reach etiologic diagnosis. After diagnosis the best treatment options are choosing. These must be both efficient and with fewer side effects. Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage treatment takes into account two situations: patients with hemodynamic instability with large blood loss and patients with hemodynamic stability. Patients with important upper gastrointestinal bleeding with hemorrhagic shock need resuscitation and should be stabilized prior to endoscopy.