Bush Adenomatous Polyps Determined Benign

WASHINGTON, July 23 -- The White House said today that pathology on five adenomatous polyps discovered during a colonoscopy performed on President Bush over the weekend were all benign.

Bush, 61, has a history of benign polyps, and because of this the colonoscopy was carried out on Saturday at Camp David just five years after his previous exam, instead of the routine 10 years. The pathology was done at the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center.

Because five polyps were found, Bush will have another colononscopy exam in three years, said spokesman Tony Snow. Although no polyps were removed in 2000, two were found in 1999 and two others were found in 1998.

Bush was sedated with propofol during the 31-minute weekend procedure, and he invoked the 25^th Amendment, handing the reins of presidential power to Vice President Dick Cheney for about two hours.