title: Is colonoscopy necessary in children suspected of having colonic polyps?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The clinical spectrum, histology, and endoscopic features of colonic polyps in the pediatric age group were studied to evaluate the role of colonoscopy in children suspected of having colonic polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six patients with colorectal polyps were studied. Investigations included barium enema (n=6), sigmoidoscopy (n=17), and colonoscopy (n=53) at the initial visit. Colonoscopy was also performed in 23 patients who received barium enema or sigmoidoscopy. Data related to age, gender, family history, signs, symptoms, size, location, polyp types, and associated diseases were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 76 patients, juvenile polyps were detected in 58 (76.3%), potentially premalignant polyposis in 17 (22.4%), familial adenomatous polyposis in 11 (14.5%), Peutz-Jegher syndrome in 4 (5.3%), and juvenile polyposis syndrome in 2 (2.6%). Twenty-two patients (28.9%) had polyps in the upper colon. All patients with potentially malignant polyps had polyps in both the upper colon and rectosigmoid colon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although most of the children with colorectal polyps had juvenile polyps, a significant number of cases showed multiple premalignant and proximally located polyps. This finding emphasizes the need for a colonoscopy in such patients. Thus, the risk of malignant change, particularly in children with multiple polyps, makes surveillance colonoscopy necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yon Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choe