Colonoscopy in Hong Kong Chinese children.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the safety and diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in Chinese children in whom the procedure is not often done.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of all colonoscopies in consecutive children who underwent their first diagnostic colonoscopy from Jan 2003 to 2008.


RESULTS
Seventy-nine children (48 boys, 31 girls; mean age 9.2 +/- 4.2 years) were identified and reviewed with a total of 82 colonoscopies performed. Successful caecal and ileal intubation rates were 97.6% and 75.6% respectively. Forty patients (50.6%) had a positive diagnosis made in colonoscopy and that included colonic polyps (23), Crohn's disease (12), ulcerative colitis (1), and miscellaneous causes (4). 80% of polyps were in the rectosigmoid colon. All but one were juvenile hamartomatous polyps. The exception was an adenomatous polyp. The mean ages for children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and polyps were 11.3 and 4.3 years respectively. There was no procedure-related complication.


CONCLUSIONS
Colonoscopy is a safe procedure in our Chinese children. The increasing diagnosis of IBD in recent decades may reflect a rising incidence of the disease in our children.
Tam
Yuk Him
YH
Division of Paediatric Surgery & Paediatric Urology, Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China. pyhtam@hotmail.com
Lee
Kim Hung
KH
Chan
Kin Wai
KW
Sihoe
Jennifer Dart Yin
JD
Cheung
Sing Tak
ST
Mou
Jennifer Wai Cheung
JW
D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment