INTRODUCTION: The practice of sedation used during colonoscopy vary widely between countries, even gastroenterologists and endoscopy centers. Knowing the type of sedation used at present and its relationship to quality indicators of colonoscopy, will help improve the quality of it.OBJECTIVES: To determine the type of sedation used for colonoscopies in the Japanese Peruvian Polyclinic, and its relation to quality indicators in colonoscopy: cecal intubation rate and detection rate of adenomas MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional correlational. Data were recorded colonoscopies performed in the Japanese Peruvian Polyclinic during 2007, which were conducted by 10 endoscopists RESULTS: We included 843 colonoscopies, of which 63.1% received moderate sedation, deep sedation, 36.7% and only 0.2% received no sedation. Moderate sedation was performed most commonly with the combination midazolam + meperidine, whereas deep sedation propofol used almost exclusively in combination with other agents. An anesthesiologist was present in 38.4% of the colonoscopies. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in cecal intubation rate when deep sedation was used: 96.1% compared to the moderate: 94.5% (p = 0.009). Equally significant difference in adenoma detection rate with deep sedation, 26.9%, compared with the moderate: 15.8% (p = 0.000). Immediate complications were reported in 9% of procedures was more common when deep sedation was used: 13.3% compared to the moderate: 6.4% (p = 0.003).CONCLUSIONS: The moderate sedation was the most common method of sedation used for colonoscopies in the Japanese Peruvian Polyclinic. Deep sedation was associated with higher rates of cecal intubation and adenoma detection, but also in more immediate complications. KEY WORDS: sedation, colonoscopy, colonoscopy quality.