Role of endoscopy in evaluating upper gastrointestinal tract lesions in rural population

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Before the advent of endoscopy direct access to the lesion for the confirmation of the diagnosis was difficult, this posed difficulty in contemplating adequate and appropriate surgery. Endoscopy as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool has grown in recent years. Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is one of the most fascinating branch which serves not only as a means of resolving or amplifying the diagnosis made clinically or by X-ray, but also a primary diagnostic procedure for conditions not otherwise diagnosable on unoperated case. Fiber optic upper GI endoscopy has already become firmly established as a reliable, quick and inexpensive tool. This study was done to detect the upper gastrointestinal lesions in rural population of Kolar District, the distribution pattern of various upper GI lesions in patients presenting with upper GI symptoms and to follow the endoscopic diagnosis for medical and surgical management. Materials and Methods: The study group includes patients reporting to outpatient department and also the inpatients in wards of General Surgery and other departments, who have upper GI symptoms, were advised endoscopy at R. L. JALAPPA Hospital and Research Centre, Kolar, from a period of December 2011 to August 2013. Results: Of the 600 cases, 370 were males, and 230 were females. Disease incidence was highest in 51–70 years age group, that is, 21.6%. Pain abdomen was the most common symptom. Epigastric tenderness was the most common sign among the patients clinically. Reflux esophagitis and diffuse gastritis formed most common cases (307 cases). The incidence of duodenitis - 7.83%, peptic ulcer -3.3%, esophageal varices - 1.5%, the incidence of carcinoma esophagus and carcinoma stomach was approximately same that is, 4.5% and 4.6% respectively. The incidence of esophageal candidiasis was 4.16%. The majority of the patients had a normal study that is, 14.5%. Conclusion: Upper GI lesions were more common in males. The incidence of diseases was highest among the elderly age group. Most of the benign mucosal lesions were mainly due to spicy food and habit of tobacco consumption. The incidence of malignancy was mostly among older age group above 50 years. The incidence of the normal study was high owing to increased medical care, easy availability of the procedure and increased medical awareness among patients. In all these cases, upper GI endoscopy not only helped in diagnosing the disease but also helped to get information about pathology, extent of disease and complications that have occurred. This study highlights the importance of diagnostic and therapeutic uses, recording of the various gastroenterological diseases we come across in rural population.

Key words

Complications - endoscopy - extent of disease - pathology

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