Helicobacter pylori: prevalence, clinical and endoscopic findings in children who underwnet upper endoscopy for abdominal ailments

A total of 97 children aged 1 month to 16 years (mean 6.6 years) had upper endoscopies performed in Paediatric Institute, Kuala Lumpur Hospital between January 1997 and December 1999 for various gastrointestinal symptoms. Of these 70 children were tested for Helicobacter pylori. The four most common indications for upper endoscopy were recurrent abdominal pain, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, epigastric pain and vomiting. The overall prevalence of this infection in this heterogenous group of symptomatic children was 10% (7/70). This study shows that H.pylori positivity in a routine endoscopy population is low and does not appear to be associated with specific symptoms.

Percutaneous drainage of amoebic liver abscess

This prospective study of 12 patients of amoebic liver abscess presenting to the department of Surgery, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, over a one year period evaluates the results of ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage of large amoebic liver abscesses. The results indicate short hospital stay, no mortality and minimal morbidity. This procedure may be safely recommended as the preferred primary method of managing ameobic abcesses larger than 6cm in diameter