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
