Pediatric Colonoscopy

A review was made of 98 fiberoptic colonoscopies performed between January 1984 and August 1987 on aged 9 month to 14 years. Deep sedation was used in all procedures under demerol(1mg/kg), thorazine(0.625mg/kg), seconal enema(10mg/kg) and valium(0.3mg/kg). Indications were anorectal bleeding in 31 cases, diagnostic evaluation of abdominal pain in 37 cases, recurrent intussusception in 10 cases and chronic diarrhea, colon polyps, anemia, colon mass and loss of defication sense in 20 cases. The cecum was reached in 96% of diagnostic examinations. Bleeding sufficinet to find lesions was seen in 12/31 cases with anorectal bleeding and abdominal pain in 12/37. One minor complication and no major complication occurred. Colonoscopy is usually the most sensitive and accurate diagnostic tool for the evaluation of colonic disease, but barium enema and colonoscopy are complementary tests and barium enema should usually precede colonoscopy with certain exceptions.