You will soon have a proctoscopy. This is an examination in which the doctor looks at your rectum to check that everything is healthy.
In this leaflet, you will find more information about how the examination is done.
Your appointment
The Endoscopy department will give you a date for your examination.
If you cannot come on this date, please call 043 - 387 77 00 to make a new appointment.
Day of the procedure
You will go to the Endoscopy department of MUMC+ via route “G2 groen”. Please report to the reception desk.
In the treatment room, the doctor will first ask you a few questions. Then the doctor will look inside your anus. This is done with a small plastic tube. Inserting the tube may feel a little uncomfortable, but it does not hurt. The doctor uses lubricant to make it easier to insert the tube.
Proctoscopy
A proctoscopy enables your doctor to examine the most distal part of the colon: the rectum and anus. As you lie down on your left side, the doctor will insert a plastic tube with a light on it in your anus. A lubricant gel allows for comfortable insertion.
Haemorrhoids can be treated in the same session with rubber bands. The haemorrhoid is grasped by the doctor and a rubber band is placed at its base. This cuts off the blood supply and it drops off after a few days. The surrounding tissue will heal with some scar tissue.
After the treatment, you can resume your normal daily activities. When you experience urge after the treatment, you can go to the toilet as normal, but it is wise to try to strain as little as possible. When you experience pain, you can take paracetamol.
Possible complications
You may notice some bleeding the first days after treatment. This is self-limiting. It’s also possible that you find the rubber bands in your toilet after a couple of days. This is normal and is a sign the treatment was succesful. A small number of people can have complications following banding such as urinary problems or infection at the site of the treated haemorrhoids.
Contact
If you have any questions about the procedure after reading this flyer, please contact your doctor. If you have questions about practicalities, please call the Endoscopy front desk: 043-3877700 (workdays between 8.00 AM and 4.30 PM) or send an email to endoscopie@mumc.nl (blank). You may also contact the surgical outpatient clinic through phonenumbers: 043-387 49 00.