Rectal examination
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A rectal examination or rectal exam is an internal examination of the rectum by a physician.
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.
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