Johnny shoots for the stars after undergoing state-of-the-art procedure at Sheffield Children’s

Meet Johnny! A budding astrophotographer who has received out-of-this-world care at Sheffield Children’s since he visited the Trust for the first time on Easter Sunday in 2024.

13-year-old Johnny recently visited Sheffield Children’s Hospital for his second transnasal upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. It’s a procedure that has been offered at Sheffield Children’s since July 2024 involving the use of a long, thin tube which is entered through the nasal cavity and fitted with a camera to explore the upper area of a patient’s digestive system. This new procedure does not require general anaesthetic, so Johnny was able to return home very soon after the procedure that day, snapping some awe-inspiring pictures of the cosmos from his garden in Ranskill!

Johnny said: “The team have been great. All of the staff have been really reassuring and gave us all of the explanations that we needed. They really listened to us and made sure that we understood everything, which was really important. The fact that I was able to make it back so quickly after the procedure meant that I could do the things that I really enjoy doing, like taking photos, which was a bonus.”

Johnny’s story

Johnny was first transferred to Sheffield Children’s from Bassetlaw Hospital, requiring an operation to remove a piece of food that had become lodged in his throat. The consultants at Sheffield Children’s found that Johnny has Eosinophilic oesophagitis, a condition characterised by a high number of eosinophils, a special type of white blood cell, gathering in a patient’s oesophagus which causes inflammation. Patients with this condition, like Johnny, have a number of upper GI endoscopies to reassess their condition and their response to the treatment.

Johnny’s initial operation at Sheffield Children’s saw him placed under general anaesthetic. However, Johnny and his parents Tracy and John were keen to avoid this for any future procedures. In the past, an upper GI endoscopy would require an anaesthetist, with the camera traditionally being inserted through the mouth. However, a transnasal endoscopy does not require any general anaesthetic, going through the patient’s nasal cavity. This means that it is a safer, faster, and more cost-effective way of completing this procedure.

Tracy said: “Johnny wasn’t keen to experience general anaesthetic again, so we spoke with our consultant who advised us of this new way of doing endoscopies. We were very excited to try it, and it has been successful for us so far.”

Johnny underwent procedure whilst wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset, a piece of technology which is used by teams at Sheffield Children’s to support patients who experience procedural anxiety. Whilst wearing these headsets patients can choose from many different options  which virtually transform their surrounding environment, including an underwater kingdom and, you guessed it, space!

How can transnasal endoscopies support patients and families?

Dr Natalia Nedelkopolou has been a Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Sheffield Children’s since 2017 and has spearheaded this innovation alongside Professor Mike Thomson. It is a procedure frequently performed in the US and Japan, but rarely in the UK, despite the notable advantages that it can provide for patients and families.

Dr Nedelkopoulou said: “By introducing this procedure at Sheffield Children’s for young people over the age of 12, we are looking to offer a quicker, safer and complication-free way of performing an upper GI endoscopy. As the transnasal endoscopies are done without putting the patient under general anaesthetic, it is both cost effective and reduces the patients’ recovery time, as they are ready to leave the hospital very soon after we finish the procedure as long as they are feeling well in themselves.”

Leading the way in paediatric upper gastrointestinal endoscopies

Dr Nedelkopolou was thrilled to see patients experiencing the benefits of this procedure and is excited to continue supporting patients and families in future. Dr Nedelkopoulou said: “We’re proud to be able to offer this for patients and families. It has been a long time in the making and has taken a lot of hard work from a number of people. We did our first transnasal endoscopy in July 2024 and are very excited about the benefits for the children and young people who we see.”

The team deliver bespoke care for each patient and family, meaning that this procedure will only be undertaken if our patients and families believe that it is the right fit for them. The team also make sure to have contingencies in place, in case there is a late change of plan, to make sure that patients receive the care they need regardless of their decision.

Dr Nedelkopoulou said: “Our care really depends on the needs of the young person. If they are very anxious or really want to be under anaesthesia, then we still provide that option. Even if they decide on the day that they want to be put under general anaesthetic, we always have a plan in place to make sure that they can still have the procedure done in this way on the day if they wish. This means that they don’t miss their slot and that we can investigate or reassess their condition quickly and effectively.”

Johnny added: “There was an anaesthetist on site in case it didn’t go forward, and they were really lovely!”

Looking ahead

Looking to the future, Dr Nedelokopolou and her team are eager to continue developing their care provision, working towards the Trust’s goal of creating a healthier future for children and young people.

Dr Nedelkopoulou said: “It’s great to hear that Johnny has been doing well. We really wanted to push the boundaries in terms of upper GI endoscopies and we had some really good feedback from those who have gone through the process. We’re excited to continue developing our practice at Sheffield Children’s and are really happy to be in a position where we can offer a service that patients feel is an improvement on our previous offerings.”