RETROFLEXION OF THE SIGMOIDOSCOPE FOR THE DETECTION OF RECTAL-CANCER

Flexible signoidoscopy is a procedure that is commonly used by primary care physicians for the evaluation of rectal disorders and for colore ctal screening. Retroflexion of the endoscope improves views of the an orectum and rectal vault, which increases the diagnostic yield of sigm oidoscopy. We report three cases of rectal lesions that were not detec ted when flexible sigmoidoscopy was performed without retroflexion. Th e lesions were all malignant or premalignant. The illustrative cases d emonstrate the value of retroflexion in flexible sigmoidoscopy for the detection of rectal lesions.