Rigid Sigmoidoscope

This type of instrument is still used in clinic I work. Typically patients are prepared by 2 liter enema done 1 hour before exam, so they would have enough time to expel enema and get ready for exam. We advise to eat light on the day and avoid some foods. Our clinic does not have any special tables to perform this examination, so patient is asked to get into all fours position.

I would love to experience it. It’s my favorite medfet attribute. I don’t want the anoscope, I want the whole experience.

Had it done once, to check my piles or hemorrhoids. In all fours. It was not painful but rather uncomfortable especially when all scope was fully in. Preparation was an enema given by nurse.

I had one done about 15 years ago by my PCP. He had done a prostate check and when he pulled his finger back out, he wiped it across a diagnostic paper that revealed blood. He decided to do a rigid sigmoidoscopy the next day. Prep consisted of a Fleet's enema before heading to the office for the exam. I was positioned in the LH SIMS position with both legs pulled up to my chest. The doctor was assisted by his female PA. The scope was inserted all the way and I definitely had that "stuffed' feeling when the entire tube was in place. It didn't hurt but I could see where a groan could be induced if left in long enough!

The end result was the doctor decided it was an internal hemorrhoid.

I became a victim of the "silver stallion" in my early 20s 50 years ago. A doctor performed the exam while was on elbows and knees on a tilting table. I wasn't prepared for being for being tilted head down ass up. The uncomfortable part of the exam was air pumped in to inflate my colon for visual and navigational purposes. Prep was oral laxative and enema.

Until optical fibers could be bundled coherently - making fiberoptic endoscopy possible, the rigid sigmoidoscope was all there was. The old fashioned sigmoidoscope is simply a stainless steel PIPE with "mile markers" - for measurement purposes. It is what it is AND the rectum and colon - being what they are (the body's protective reflexes aside) can easily accommodate the sigmoidoscope.

The real "pain" associated with its use is it's rigidity and getting around the 90 or 135 degree angle (see link) where the rectum bends around to connect to the Sigmoid Colon.

https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-b042fb643ac92d90b23f1765f0cca335.

Most people's bodies are "unhappy" when that is straghtened by the standard sigmoidoscope

Haven’t experienced one yet but I keep my eye out for one for sale.

I had a flexible one which was quite uncomfortable so I guess the rigid one might be more painful.

I had a ridged colonescope 30 years ago. I still remember the experience. The doctor was a man but he had a cute nursing student with him. I got on the table on hands and knees with my chest on the table and my naked butt in the air. Totally exposed! He first checked my rectum with one finger. Then he had the pretty student do it with her slender finger. He pushed lube into me then the cold instrument. He maneuvered it past the sphincter- cramps from that. Then he started looking around. When he finished he let the pretty student explore inside me. I would gave been happy for this to go on, but she pulled the instrument out, and wiped away the lube. End of true story!

Never had one in a clinical setting, but I bought one in eBay not too long ago. It may be an anoscope? Has its own case. Has a light you can plug into it, and you can introduce air to the patient as well. Has graduations on it to know where you are. I’ve not even played with it yet. Looks to be from the 60’s maybe.

Most likely we are talking about a sigmoidoscope. He's tough. At least, there used to be only such ones. They did this to me more than once as a child. We prepared only with diet and enemas. There were only female doctors.

I am so used to it now. Prep 3 enemas before going in and nothing to eat after 6 PM the evening before.

It is part of my Gino exam. I find the metal tube uncomfortable. I feel nauseated after. Sometimes my belly button hurts. Usually, I am laying on my side or on my hands and knees arse high up while she pokes around looking for scrapes and other things. I have been turned upside down, That is fun.

If I am not cleaned out it is done at the office. Two experience of that was enough. The first time was an enema flush into a tank while lying on the table. The second time was not so fun. Milk and molasses are nothing compared to whatever she shoots up there. Ten minutes later and the toilet is rocked by wind water and shit erupting like a volcano. No one leaves constipated.

The Hospital one is a less unpleasant feeling with a camera on a flexible hose. Being blown up like a balloon is a fun thing. I just have to move around for them. I can watch my insides on the monitor. It is actually sort of fun. That is just every second year. I have to do a fast with nothing but clear gelatin and water the day before and some drink that makes all the gelatin poop out in a tornado of raunch flushing everything out like a tsunami wave. GRUUUUMBLE FOOOM !!!!

It is the same prep as the Barium enema. I have had that once. It is cold and unpleasant.

I've had 3. Cleanout was always 2 fleets at the same time just before. 2 were on a tilt table, one was on all fours. Definitely was not comfortable especially once it was all the way in.

I've had 3. Cleanout was always 2 fleets at the same time just before. 2 were on a tilt table, one was on all fours. Definitely was not comfortable especially once it was all the way in.

I had been examined by rigid sigmoidoscope seceral times but it was about thirty years ago. First time proctologist decided do it on me after my complaint on rectal bleeding and after ut was done as a part of proctological examination. My preparation included only enemas: two in the evening before exam and two in the morning of exam day, exactly as insruction prescribed.

All sigmoidoscopies were performed by female doctors. They were quite gentle so I wasn't embarrased and didn't feel any serious pain. All of them implemented digital rectal exam, my asshole was well lubricated and sigmoidoscope (metall tube about 25-30 cm long and about 1,5 cm in diameter) slide easily in my bottom.

It was very interesting to feel this tube inside me, moving along my intestine accompanied by air, pumped though sigmoidoscope. The only thing that disappointed me was I couldn't see the procedure from outside.

Rigid sigmoidoscopy is very rare nowadays due to the advent of flexible sigmoidscopes. Flexible sigmoidscopes are much more comfortable as they are tinnier than the rigid sigmoidoscope, and as the name suggest they are flexible which makes it easier to maneuver in the sigmoid colon( which is S shaped). So a rigid sigmoidoscope can cause much more discomfort as it navigates the sigmoid colon due to its inability to adapt to the shape of the sigmoid colon.

I had this done twice. The first time was in the mid 1980s because I was have some rectal bleeding. The prep was a single Fleet before heading to the doctor's. The instrument was fairly large diameter and despite the lube was not all that comfortable. The second time I had this done was the late 1990s and for the same reason. The prep this time was a Fleet the night before and another the morning of the exam. In the 10+ years between exams that instrument got far more high tech and was much slimmer. The second time I didn't mind the exam so much. After that it was only colonoscopies and the prep is oral.

I have a rigid sigmoidoscope, found it on Ebay. I've only ever had one playmate that was up for it, but I did get some photos - including a couple of the inside of her rectum, through the scope. She said the air injection made her feel crampy, but she enjoyed the insertion. This was after I had given her a couple of enemas with the double Bardex nozzle and bag that she'd brought.

I had a "rigid sigmoidoscope" exam many years ago and it was quite an experience. As others have reported the "Silver Stallion" was a a instrument to be feared! And my doctor like most kept the device under a cover to keep the patient unaware of what to was be inserted into their "bottom". My doctor explained only he was going to insert a metal pipe-like instrument into my anus and up into my gut to check for any growths . I had taken two enemas the night before and the nurse (female of-course in those days) gave me another before the doctor began. The doctor explained that some patients found the exam to be "not so pleasant" but others had no complaints at all. After the initial finger probe of the anus the doctor said "ok, let's begin and I felt the instrument slowly enter my bottom. The nurse who had been assuring me that everything was going to be easy moved her hands to near my hips. And as the Silver Stallion was pushed further into me, the warm hands of the nurse move ever further down my hips to my buttocks and further. With each motion of the nurse's hands my attention shifted away from the doctor's probe to the nurse's warm hands. As the probe was withdrawn the doctor simply said "now that was not too bad?", the nurse smiled, and grinned!

I've never had this exam; I think it's now been replaced by flexible sigmoidoscopy.

I instead had a rigid proctoscopy, which uses a shorter instrument. They didn't prescribe any preparation, just an enema beforehand.

The exam was a little uncomfortable, but nothing painful.

They first performed the exam in the sims position, then on my back, in the lithotomy position... The doctor told me it's not a position often used, but it was necessary in my case.

I've never had one, but some years ago my husband did. He was supposed to do a Fleet enema the evening before and another the morning of the procedure. Problem was that he never went to the pharmacy to buy them. Instead I gave him good soapy enemas instead. I'm sure glad we owned an enema bag.

When I was trained in internal medicine in the 1970s we commonly were trained with a rigid sigmoidoscope. I subsequently had and used one in my office when medical circumstances warranted it. If one knew what one was doing, the insertion was tolerable. The technique called for observation of the colon and mucosa to be carried out upon withdrawal of the scope. Generally, the insufflation of air to aid insertion was the part of the procedure that brought the most discomfort. I'm sometimes sorry I sold the scope along with the rest of the office equipment when I retired.

I'm sometimes sorry I sold the scope along with the rest of the office equipment when I retired.

@Pollux what piece of equipment do you regret selling the most?

The sigmoidoscope came in a cased set with an anoscope and proctoscope plus the bulb and tubing for insufflating air. I wish I'd kept that package out of the sale. I'm sure I'd have found a use for it.

I had this experience once. Not too pleasant. The prep required several enemas at home with the help of my wife. I think it is better now with flexible equipment.

I had this exam at a proctologist appointment. It didn't last long, and there was an uncomfortable moment, but it all went away quickly. I had a male doctor. I always divide real medicine and kinks. So for me there was nothing special except concern and some embarrassment. And the release of air afterwards.

@subhelena: And the release of air afterwards.

I forgot about the release of air afterwards. Now that I think about it, that was pretty sizeable and was glad that I was alone in the car on the way home from the exam. Not much odor to it, but it was clearly audible. In my younger years I would have been proud, but if I had done that while growing up my mom would have insisted that I needed to have an enema.