Introduction Gastroesophageal reflux (GER), the involuntary passage of gastric contents into the esophagus, occurs several times per day in every human, particularly after meals, and is a completely normal physiologic…

The term esophageal motor disorder is commonly used to describe abnormal motility patterns demonstrated during esophageal manometry studies. Some of these disorders, such as esophageal achalasia, have well-defined abnormalities of…

The ingestion of caustic substances and/or foreign bodies is a common medical problem encountered in the pediatric population. The severity of both caustic and foreign body ingestion ranges from very…

The main esophageal functions are to transport food from the mouth to the stomach and to prevent reflux of gastric contents, so the main manifestations of disease in this organ…

Congenital Lesions of the Esophagus Congenital lesions of the esophagus fall into three categories: congenital esophageal stenosis, the variants of esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, and laryngotracheoesophageal clefts. Congenital Esophageal…

The term jaundice originated from the French jaune, which means “yellow.” Jaundice, or icterus (from the Greek ikteros ), refers to the yellow discoloration of the skin, sclerae, and other…

Overview Ascites is the pathologic accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity. The word ascites originates from the Greek words askites and askos , meaning “baglike” or “bladder.” Ascites has…

Constipation and fecal incontinence represent common problems in children. Beyond the neonatal period, only a minority of children have an organic cause for their constipation and the etiology remains not…

The gastrointestinal tract handles our daily vital task of safely receiving and extracting nutrients from what we eat and drink. Our gut is efficient because of a complex, coordinated, and…

Introduction Gastrointestinal hemorrhage is one of the most serious presenting complaints a pediatric gastroenterologist may need to diagnose and treat. A proper understanding of various etiologies and available treatment modalities…