Diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy in children: experience from a pediatric gastroenterology centre in India.

Eighty colonoscopies were performed in 72 children suffering from various colonic disorders. The indications for colonoscopic examination were bleeding per rectum (83.3%), prolonged colitis (14.0%) and colonic obstruction (2.7%). Total bowel wash with normal saline was very good for colonic preparation in majority of the cases. Pediatric colonoscope (PCF-Olympus) was used and the procedure performed under sedation with intravenous diazepam and pentazocine. Juvenile polyps were the commonest lesions (69.4%). Diagnosis of idiopathic ulcerative colitis, acute colitis, tuberculous colitis, amebic colitis and allergic colitis was made in 5.5, 4.2, 2.7, 1.3 and 1.3% cases, respectively. Tuberculous hypertrophic lesion and tuberculous stricture was seen in one case each. The commonest site of juvenile polyps was rectosigmoid region. Ninety per cent of them were single, 8% had polyps ranging from 2-4 in number and one (2%) child had juvenile polyposis coli. Successful colonoscopic removal of polyps with polypectomy snare was possible in 96% cases. No complications were observed. Colonoscopy is a safe and useful mode of investigation of colonic disorders in expert hands. It has a great therapeutic value in childhood.