Flex-Sigmoidoscopy

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A sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that allows the doctor to examine the lower one-third of the large intestine. Sigmoidoscopy is helpful in identifying the causes of diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, abnormal growths and bleeding. It may also be used to obtain biopsies and to perform procedures, such as removal of polyps or hemorrhoids. Sigmoidoscopy is also used to screen for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

A short, flexible, lighted tube, called a sigmoidoscope, is inserted into the intestine through the rectum into the lower part of the large intestine. Air is injected into the intestine through the sigmoidoscope to inflate it for better viewing.

Several procedures may be used to examine different portions of the large intestine. These include a colonoscopy (examination of the entire length of the large intestine), proctoscopy (examination of the anus and rectum) and anoscopy (examination of the anus only).

Although less invasive X-ray procedures, such as a barium enema, may be used to evaluate the large intestine, these procedures cannot provide the direct visualization of the internal intestine necessary to evaluate and diagnose certain conditions.