Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

What is Flexible Sigmoidoscopy?

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy is most commonly performed to look for causes of bright bleeding from the lower part of the bowel, such as haemorrhoids, polyps and inflammation.

The procedure is brief and should only cause some minor discomfort and would be abandoned should the discomfort become too distressing.

A small enema preparation is required to clean the lower part of the bowel.  No dietary restrictions are required.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy examines the lower bowel only, and is not an appropriate test for patients:

• who have a change of bowel habit;
• who are passing altered or dark blood;
• when it is necessary to exclude disease throughout the whole colon; and
• who require a colonoscopy.