To an accurate colonoscopy procedure it is necessary a satisfactory colonic cleansing. There are many bowel preparation methods for adults, but there is not any ideal method for children. Therefore, this study tried to find a standard method for this age that can associate excellent colonic cleansing, less side effects, higher acceptability and affordability, relatives' support. Forty-six children were evaluated after they had undergone a video colonoscopy, between 2002 and 2006, at the department of video colonoscopy of Hospital Universitário de Sergipe and at UPEP. They were placed in the following groups: children until 1 year old (group A), children from the age of 1 to 5(group B), and children over 5 (group C). In the first and second groups, sodium phosphate was administered via rectum, and in the third group the children received oral manitol solution. From the 25 children that used the rectal sodium phosphate, the preparation was excellent in 22 (88%) and good in 1 (4%), although all the parents emphasized a difficult application. From the other 21 children, that used manitol, 17 (80,9%) had an excellent preparation, 1 (4,8%) had good preparation, 2 (9,5%) had a regular preparation and 1 (4,8%) had a very bad preparation, although all the children had vomited and had felt sick after its ingestion, with low acceptation by the children due to the big volume. The cecum was reached in 41 (89%) cases, from which 19 (41,3%) had been examined until the terminal ileum. An indivualized prepare allowed great level of good prepare and low morbidity.
Colonoscopy; children; intestinal cleaning; manitol®; sodium phosphate