Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

The physician inserts a short, flexible, lighted tube into your rectum and slowly guides it into your lower colon. The scope transmits an image of the inside of the rectum and colon, so the physician can carefully examine the lining of these organs. The scope also blows air into these organs, which inflates them and helps the physician see better. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a relatively simple and painless procedure and usually lasts less than fifteen minutes. Because the physician is only examining the lower quarter of the colon, it can usually be done without sedative medication.