Five hundred consecutive sigmoidoscopies for frank rectal bleeding: an analysis

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Colorectal Surgery
• Oncology

Background:

• Haematochezia is a common clinical presentation requiring investigation.
• Differentiating benign causes from colorectal neoplasia is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the etiological spectrum of haematochezia in a consecutive patient cohort.
• To assess the prevalence of colorectal neoplasia as a cause of haematochezia.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 500 consecutive patients undergoing sigmoidoscopy for haematochezia.
• Systematic recording of findings, including haemorrhoidal disease and neoplastic lesions.

Main Results:

• Haemorrhoidal disease was the most frequent cause of haematochezia.
• Colorectal neoplastic disease was identified in 5% of patients.
• A 1% overlap was observed between neoplastic disease and haemorrhoidal disease.

Conclusions:

• Haemorrhoidal disease is the predominant cause of haematochezia.
• Sigmoidoscopy is effective in diagnosing the causes of haematochezia, including significant rates of colorectal neoplasia.
• The co-existence of haemorrhoids and colorectal cancer necessitates thorough evaluation.