title: Open access upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: a 2-year experience from 2001 to 2003.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of open access endoscopy in detecting serious diseases like malignancy and peptic ulcers is debated. We participated in an open access endoscopy service and this study details our experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Cancer Society of Kashmir provided an open access upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy service in Kashmir between 2001 and 2003. The records of patients who underwent endoscopy were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,000 endoscopies were performed over a two-year period (average >40 endoscopies per month). Two-thirds of endoscopies were normal. Gastric (n = 30) and esophageal (n = 42) tumors were seen in 7.2 % of patients. The other common abnormality detected was peptic ulcer. No complications were reported during or immediately after the procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Open access upper GI endoscopy is a viable service option that can become more widely available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, 190 011 Kashmir, India. doc_younus@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohd Younus
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Faisal Younus
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Faizan Younus
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies