Groups Hold Therapeutic Pediatric Endoscopy Conference

OAK BROOK, Ill. — The North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) recently sponsored their first joint therapeutic pediatric endoscopy course.

The course was held at ASGE’s Institute for Training & Technology in Oak Brook, Ill., and attracted 60 pediatric endoscopists from across the country.

Course directors, Jenifer Lightdale, MD, of Children’s Hospital Boston, and Petar Mamula, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, along with a team of nine senior endoscopists, covered topics to address the needs of established pediatric endoscopists who were interested in improving their knowledge of familiar and new endoscopic techniques.

The course placed an emphasis on the specialized use of therapeutic endoscopic techniques and instruments in infants and children, including both the limitations and potential applications of advanced or unique techniques in pediatric patients.

The objectives of the course were for participants to have an understanding of the basic principles and practice of therapeutic endoscopy in children; to be able to identify and properly use endoscopic therapeutic equipment key to each procedure; and employ basic skills to perform effective and safe therapeutic pediatric endoscopy.

Attendees specifically learned about hemostasis: heater/bipolar probes, clipping techniques, argon plasma coagulation, variceal banding and sclerotherapy. In addition, saline assisted polypectomy, balloon dilation, video capsule deployment, wireless pH probe placement, and foreign body removal were also covered.

Plans are underway for repeating the course in 2009. For additional information on future courses, click here.

For more information on ASGE-sponsored courses, contact ASGE at (630) 573-0600 or click here.

Sources: NASPGHAN and ASGE