There have been a few data about esophageal length in children and previous data are improper for application to various procedures. Because of the variability in height and weight of each the individuals especially in children, measurable external parameters are needed.

We measured distance from upper incisor to esophago-gastric junction using a flexible endoscope and compared these data with age, height and weight in 262 children who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

The mean age was 9.0±3.6 year (from 2 days to 16 year of age), mean height was 132.89±23.49 cm and mean length from upper incisor to esophago-gastric junction was 33.34±5.42 cm. Correlation between distance from upper incisor to esophago-gastric junction and height was the mostly predictable indicator of the esophageal length (Pearson correlation=0.944). We propose a formula [Esophageal length=4.419+(0.218 × height)] as a indicator of the esophageal length (p=0.000, R²=0.891).

The esophageal length in children and for application to various procedures can be reliably predicted by using the height.