Rectal examination
From Free net encyclopedia
A rectal examination or rectal exam is an internal examination of the rectum by a physician or other healthcare professional.
The digital rectal examination (DRE) is the simplest procedure. The patient is placed in a position where the anus is accessible and relaxed (lying on the side, squatting on the examination table, bent over the examination table, etc). The physician inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum through the anus and palpates the insides.
The DRE is inadequate as a screening tool because it examines less than 10 % of the colorectal mucosa.
This examination may be used:
- for the diagnosis of appendicitis (a sharp pain experienced when the physician presses a certain spot indicates acute appendicitis);
- for the diagnosis of rectal tumors and cancer;
- for the estimation of the tonicity of the anal sphincter;
- in males, for the diagnosis of prostatic disorders, notably tumors and cancer;
- in females, for gynecological palpations of internal organs
- for examination of the hardness and colour of the faeces (ie. in cases of constipation).
The DRE is frequently combined with a FOBT (fecal occult blood test), which may be useful for diagnosing the etiology of an anemia and/or confirming a gastrointestinal bleed.