Upper aerodigestive tract endoscopy during the first year of life: A current review.

ABSTRACT

A five-year retrospective review of 52 infants who underwent 67 endoscopic procedures of the upper aerodigestive tract was performed. The ages of the patients ranged from one day to one year with a mean of 157 days. The most common indication of endoscopy was stridor/respiratory distress (46.3 per cent) and persistent wheezing (16.4 per cent). Congenital anomalies were the causes of airway problems in more than half of the patients and laryngomalacia was the most common diagnosis (34.6 per cent), followed by congenital subglottic stenosis (7.6 per cent). There were 19.2 per cent of cases who had more than one airway lesion. Diagnosis was obtained from endoscopy in90.4 per cent of cases. There were two cases of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) diagnosed by nuclear scintigraphy. Therapeutic procedures during and after endoscopy were also reviewed. Only minor complications were found in three cases (4.5 per cent) (one bronchospasm, two subglottic oedema ). Endoscopy was found to be a safe, accurate diagnostic method which also offered useful therapeutic interventions.