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. 78% 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