COLONOSCOPIC POLYPECTOMY IN CHILDREN

34 children aged 9 months to 12 years presenting with chronic and intermittent rectal bleeding were diagnosed as having colorectal polyps by fiberoptic colonoscopy performed under sedation. Bleeding per rectum (mean duration, 15 months) was the chief presenting symptom and was present in 97% of these patients. In 85% of patients polypectomy was carried out without using general anesthesia. 7R% of patients had juvenile polyps and 22% had solitary adenomatous polyps. Two children had two polyps. The majority (33%) of the polyps were located in the rectosigmoid. Polypectomy was performed on all patients, and no case of massive bleeding, bacterial infection or perforation occurred post-operatively. Therefore, it seems that colonoscopic snare polypectomy is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of colorectal polyps in children.