When is rectoscopy performed?
The following complaints are a reason for rectoscopy:
- persistent discomfort during bowel movements
- Blood accumulation on the stool
- bleeding in the area of the anus
With the help of the examination, the physician can reliably diagnose rectal cancer (rectal cancer – a form of intestinal cancer), inflammations, protrusions, fistula tracts, intestinal polyps or hemorrhoids. In gynecology, rectoscopy is also used to detect ingrowth into the bowel in tumors of the female reproductive organs.
Rectoscopy: Preparation
Preparation for rectoscopy is often more pleasant for the patient than for colonoscopy, since he or she does not have to drink a laxative. In principle, the doctor can perform the examination as soon as the patient has emptied the bowel. However, in order not to overlook minor findings in the intestinal mucosa, the doctor cleanses the rectum with an enema directly before the examination.
How does the rectoscopy proceed?
The doctor uses a so-called rectoscope to examine the rectum. This is a “tube” about 20 to 30 centimeters long with a diameter of 12 to 24 millimeters that carries a light source and a small camera at its front end. The doctor coats the rectoscope with lubricant and then carefully inserts it into the anal canal. To do this, he asks the patient to press lightly (similar to defecation). This loosens the sphincter muscle so that the rectoscope can pass through it more easily.
Now the doctor inflates the rectum slightly by pumping in air so that the mucosa unfolds and is easier to see. This inflation often causes the patient to feel an urge to defecate, which is unpleasant but quite normal. Once the physician has carefully examined the mucosa of the rectum, he or she retracts the rectoscope while deflating the supplied air.
If the doctor discovers polyps in the rectum, he usually removes them right during the rectoscopy. He may also take tissue samples during the exam.
What happens after the rectoscopy?
If the doctor has removed intestinal polyps or taken tissue samples during the examination, slight postoperative bleeding sometimes occurs, but this is no cause for alarm. However, patients should urgently consult their doctor in the event of major blood discharges from the bowel after a rectoscopy.
