Why is it necessary? of Rectal examination

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A |

| B |

| C |

| D |

| E |

| F |

| G |

| H |

| I |

| J |

| K |

| L |

| M |

| N |

| O |

| P |

| Q |

| R |

| S |

| T |

| U |

| V |

| W |

| X |

| Y |

Rectal examination is essential if the medical history suggests a disorder in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower rectal or anal region. It is also important in a male patient if there is any suggestion of enlargement of the prostate gland - usually a benign condition, but sometimes due to cancer. By feeling through the front wall of the rectum, the doctor can check whether the prostate gland is bigger than it should be, and may distinguish smooth enlargement from the irregular enlargement that can sometimes indicate cancer.

Rectal examination may reveal disorders such as internal piles (these may require proctoscopy using a small telescope device - see Haemorrhoids), ano-rectal abscesses, polps and especially cancers of the rectum. Rectal cancer is one of the commonest of all cancers. Rectal examination may also provide information about disorders in adjacent structures, such as the neck of a woman's womb (cervix).

The wall of the rectum is thin, and other parts can be felt through it. Enlarged ovaries can sometimes be felt. Tenderness may be localised, if due to inflammation or other disorders in the pelvis. An inflamed appendix, or an appendix abscess, can often be felt on rectal examination (see Appendicitis). Sometimes a simultaneous vaginal examination is done.