You usually have this test in the endoscopy unit at the hospital. It may take between 5 to 15 minutes. But you should expect to be in the department for up to 2 hours. A flexible sigmoidoscopy is a test to look inside your back passage and the lower part of your large bowel. Your bowel needs to be empty for the test, so you usually have an enema on the day. This is a liquid that you put into your back passage and makes you go to the toilet.
Rarely, instead of the enema you might be asked to have a laxative. For the test you lie on your left side. The doctor or specialist puts a thin flexible tube into your back passage and into your bowel. On the end of the tube is a light and a camera. This sends pictures to a monitor. The tube puts air into the bowel to make it easier to see the lining. You can have gas and air if it is uncomfortable. They take samples of any abnormal looking areas. This is called a biopsy.
And they remove any small growths called polyps. You may have some bloating, cramping and slight bleeding for a few days. Contact your doctor if this gets worse. They will tell you if they take any biopsies and you usually get the results of these within a couple of weeks. Your bowel needs to be empty of poo for a flexible sigmoidoscopy. This is so the endoscopist has a clear view of your bowel. If you're taking iron tablets or drugs that can cause constipation, you need to stop taking them about a week before your appointment.
Your appointment letter gives you more details about this. A sigmoidoscopy is a test that looks at the rectum and lower part of the large intestine. The sigmoid colon ends in the rectum. Waste collects in the rectum and leaves your body when you have a bowel movement. A sigmoidoscopy is one way to look for colorectal cancer or other growths. This includes small growths called polyps.
Polyps are not cancer, but they can turn into cancer. You might also have this test to look for the cause of bowel problems. These can include bleeding, a change in bowel movements, or other problems.
This test uses a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera on one end. Your doctor places this end in the anus. Then they push it gently up through the rectum into the lower colon. They can see inside the colon through a small scope on the tube or on a video monitor. Both a sigmoidoscopy and a colonoscopy are screening tests to look for colorectal cancer. The difference between the two tests is the part of the colon they allow the doctor to see.
A sigmoidoscopy is less invasive, because it only looks at the lower part of your colon. A colonoscopy looks at the entire large intestine. If your doctor finds polyps during your sigmoidoscopy, you will probably need a colonoscopy.
It is important because if you have polyps in the lower colon, there is a good chance you have them elsewhere, too. Your doctor can remove the polyps before they turn into cancer. A doctor specializing in the digestive system usually does it. It may also be done by a surgeon, family practice doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. A nurse will probably help with the test.
A sigmoidoscopy may also be used to take a tissue sample or biopsy. And it can be used to remove polyps or swollen veins in your rectum and anus hemorrhoids. It's also used to screen for colorectal cancer. A sigmoidoscopy is done using a thin, flexible tube sigmoidoscope. The tube has a tiny light and camera at one end. The healthcare provider puts the tube into your anus and moves it slowly through your rectum into the lower part of your colon.
Air is blown through the tube into your colon. This will make it expand a bit so it's easier to see. A sigmoidoscopy may be used to see or diagnose certain things in your lower colon such as:. A sigmoidoscopy is one type of test used to screen for colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society and the U.
Preventive Services Task Force recommend colorectal cancer screening for people at average risk starting at age Talk with your healthcare provider about a screening schedule that's best for you.
Many choices are available to screen for colon cancer. Your healthcare provider may have other reasons to recommend a sigmoidoscopy. If a sigmoidoscopy shows polyps, then you may need a colonoscopy as the next step to see the rest of the colon.
Using laxative enemas before the test. These can irritate the lining of your colon. Problems that may not allow the tube to move. This includes a narrowing of the colon strictures , surgical scars adhesions , or a disease such as chronic inflammatory disease. You may have other risks. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider before the procedure. Your healthcare provider will explain the procedure to you. You may also have leakage of liquid accompanied by gas for up to 24 hours after taking the last dose of laxatives.
Occasionally, the sigmoidoscope causes some damage to the rectum or colon. This may cause bleeding, infection and rarely a hole perforation in the colon. If any of the following occur within 48 hours after a sigmoidoscopy, consult a doctor immediately:. It has been proposed that a routine flexible sigmoidoscopy test should be offered to all older adults to screen for bowel cancer. This is because most bowel small fleshy lumps polyps and colorectal cancers develop in the rectum, sigmoid colon or lower descending colon.
Bowel colonic polyps are small non-cancerous benign growths on the inside lining of the colon or rectum. They are common in older people. They usually cause no symptoms or problems. However, if a polyp is found, it is usually removed. This is because there is a small risk of a colonic polyp developing into a bowel cancer after several years. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. Preventive Services Task Force.
June Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.
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