Sometimes, in cases of chronic diarrhea or unexplained abdominal pain, leakage, weight loss, suspicion of celiac disease, absorption problems, and severe inflammation, there is a need for an endoscopic examination of the digestive system. Within this examination, a flexible optical tube is inserted into the intestines, with a camera at its tip. This enables a high-quality view of the digestive system lining and allows for biopsies to be taken when necessary.
In our unit, more than 1300 endoscopic procedures are performed annually on children, including colonoscopies, gastroscopies, insertion of enteral feeding tubes, and rectal biopsies, starting from infants weighing less than 2 kg up to 18 years of age. All endoscopic procedures are carried out under deep sedation by a certified anesthesiologist with extensive experience in working with children, ensuring that the procedure is painless and anxiety-free. In most cases, sedation begins with a gas mask with a strawberry flavor, but each case undergoes a personalized assessment by the treating team.
Children wait for their endoscopic procedures in a specially designed waiting room for children that was recently opened. The room is equipped with games, computers, DVDs, and activities with animals. Preparation for sedation takes place in a room by the pediatric team of the children's department. Everything is designed to ensure that the child enters the procedure mentally prepared and without fears.