Background/purpose: Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in children with no identifiable source found after upper endoscopy and colonoscopy or GIB of obscure origin can pose a great management problem for pediatric surgeons. The recent advent of laparoscopy in children has provided a useful solution.
Methods: The authors reviewed their experience of using laparoscopy in the management of 17 children (13 boys) with GIB of obscure origin over an 8-year period. The mean age was 9.8 years (range, 3 to 17 years).
Results: In all patients, upper endoscopy and colonoscopy results did not show a bleeding source. Pertechnetate technetium Tc 99m scan showed positive uptake in 6 patients. Of these, 4 were found on laparoscopy to have a Meckel's diverticulum, 1 had intestinal duplication, and the remaining patient had nodular lymphoid hyperplasia at the terminal ileum. Ten patients had a negative pertechnetate scan. Of these, 3 had a Meckel's diverticulum, 1 had lymphoid hyperplasia, 1 had intestinal duplication, 1 had vascular enteritis, and 4 had normal findings on videolaparoscopy. Pertechnetate scan was not performed in 1 patient and, on laparoscopy, it turned out to be Meckel's diverticulum. Laparoscopic-assisted small bowel resection was performed successfully in all patients with Meckel's diverticulum, intestinal duplication, and nodular hyperplasia. Conversion to open surgery was required in the patient with extensive ileal vascular enteritis secondary to Henoech Scholein purpura. All patients, including the 4 with normal findings on laparoscopy, had made uneventful recovery without further episode of bleeding.
Conclusion: Laparoscopy is a useful diagnostic as well as therapeutic tool in children with GIB of obscure origin.