ANOSCOPY

Course overview

ANOSCOPY IS A BEDSIDE PROCEDURE THAT IS INEXPENSIVE AND CAN BE PERFORMED QUICKLY WITHOUT BOWEL PREPARATION OR SEDATION. WITH THIS METHOD, THE EXAMINER CAN VISUALIZE THE INTERNAL PORTIONS OF THE ANAL SPHINCTER AND THE DISTAL RECTUM. PROSPECTIVE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT ANOSCOPY HAS A HIGHER SENSITIVITY FOR ANORECTAL LESIONS SUCH AS INTERNAL HEMORRHOIDS, PROCTITIS, LACERATIONS, FISTULAS, ULCERS AND MASSES THAN FLEXIBLE SIGMOIDOSCOPY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND TECHNIQUES FOR ANOSCOPY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ANORECTAL PATHOLOGY.