ROLE OF ENDOSCOPY IN EVALUATING UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT LEISONS AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL.

BackgroundandObjectives: 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. Fibre 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 patients visiting to tertiary care hospital GMC Jammu. MaterialsandMethods: The study group includes patients reporting to outpatient department and also the inpatients in wards of General Medicine and other departments, who have upper GI symptoms, were advised endoscopy at GMC Jammu, from a period of March 2016 to August2018. Results: Of the 6438 cases, 3862 were males, and 2576 were females. Disease incidence was highest in 41 to 50 years age group that is 24.9%. Pain abdomen was the most common symptom. Epigastric tenderness was the most common sign among the patients clinically. Antral Gastritis formed most common cases (1084 cases). The incidence of duodenitis ? 2.1%, duodenal ulcer -5.6%, esophageal varices ? 13.5%, the incidence of carcinoma esophagus and carcinoma stomach was approximately 6.8% and 4.2% respectively. The incidence of esophageal candidiasis was 0.6%. The majority of the patients had a normal study that is 10.1%. 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 population.