Pediatric upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a case series and review

Significant upper gastrointestinal bleedings are uncommon in children and potentially life-threatening. The etiology varies from one pediatric age group to the other, with some overlaps, and the presentation is usually in the form of hematemesis and or passage of melena stools. The key priorities in the assessment are to determine the severity of bleeding, degree of systemic upset, the site and cause, to enable application of adequate treatment protocols. However, wide gaps still exist in our setting with regard to the care of children with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We present three cases managed in our center that highlight available treatments that work to sensitize our pediatricians to current treatment modalities.