[Colonoscopy in children: personal experience].

Since 1974, 162 colonoscopies have been performed on patients ranging in age from six months to 15 years. All examinations were done using adult endoscopes. Most of the exams were conducted either without any pharmacological preparation or after administration of benzodiazepine; in only 16 cases was general anesthesia without intubation (Ketamine) necessary. The most frequent indications for performing the exam were various types of anal bleeding, isolated, or associated with diarrhoea. The diagnosis made most frequently was of an isolated polyp (43 cases out of 162), localized almost exclusively in the rectum or sigmoid colon. The second most frequent diagnosis was of an inflammatory process (12 cases out of 162). It was noted that a large number of cases were found to be negative (73 cases out of 162), which may be explained by the fact that many cases of that age group involve acute processes healed when were examined.