Rectal examination

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Anal probing. (Discuss)

A rectal examination or rectal exam is an internal examination of the rectum by a physician or other healthcare professional.

The digital rectal examination (DRE, Latin palpatio per anum or PPA) 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.

The DRE is inadequate as a screening tool for colorectal cancer because it examines less than 10% of the colorectal mucosa; colonoscopy is preferred. However, it's an important part of a general examination, as many tumors or other diseases manifest themselves in the distal part of the rectum.

This examination may be used:

for the diagnosis of appendicitis or other examples of an acute abdomen (i.e. acute abdominal symptoms indicating a serious underlying disease);
for the diagnosis of rectal tumors and other forms of cancer;
for the estimation of the tonicity of the anal sphincter, which may be useful in case of fecal incontinence or neurologic diseases;
in males, for the diagnosis of prostatic disorders, notably tumors and benign prostatic hyperplasia;
in females, for gynecological palpations of internal organs
for examination of the hardness and colour of the faeces (ie. in cases of constipation, and fecal impaction);
prior to a colonoscopy or proctoscopy.

The DRE is frequently combined with a FOBT (fecal occult blood test), which may be useful for diagnosing the etiology of an anemia and/or confirming a gastrointestinal bleed.

Sometimes proctoscopy may also be part of the rectal examination. Anal probing is to insert instruments into a human or animal's anal cavity to measure activities in the lower bowel. Instruments used include pliers, tongs, fiber-optic cables, syringes, eye droppers, thermometers, and specialized balloons. Anal probing is used most often to identify digestion problems, however, it can also be used for identifying parasites, organ damage, and foreign objects in the human body.–

[edit] In popular culture

Anal probing is a frequent theme in science fiction involving aliens, which often probe humans in order to examine their anatomy. This cliché has become common enough to be commented on outside sci-fi; for example:

The South Park episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe"
On an anime-based Role-playing game website, Gaia Online had a Halloween event in 2006, which in alien form you could probe a human 30 times in return for an alien probe item for the character to hold. (Cows could also be probed, but the item recieved were goggles.) Theme: Aliens vs. Humans
The Destroy All Humans! video game

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