[Esophagogastroduodenal endoscopy in diagnosis in tropical areas. Apropos of 3000 studies performed in adults].

The authors report on the results gained from 3000 peroral endoscopies (10% as urgent cases) carried out in adults at the Dakar General Hospital within a period of 30 months. They emphasize the low cost of such an exam, and they underline: a) the young age of examined patients b) the number of examinations on out-patients, demonstrating that oesogastroduodenoscopy is now well accepted by Africans. Digestive hemorrhages are mainly caused by duodenal ulcers, oesophageal varices, hemorrhagic gastritis. A new pathology is raising up: volontary ingestion of caustic pro ducts. The most frequent lesions observed are duodenal ulcers, oesophagic and gastric cancers, gastritis. The interest of endoscopic control of healing of cancers is confirmed. Revealing of oesophageal varices often take place before an hepatopathy is discovered. Therapeutic endoscopy and monitoring endoscopy should be developed. Through improved technics, diagnostic endoscopy has been efficient.