Flexible rectosigmoidoscopy in the detection of tumoral colonic lesions

The fibrorectosigmoidocope Olympus TCF I S, has been systematically applied to the exploration of the distal colon (rectum and sigmoid) in patients with intestinal or digestive extra intestinal symptoms. In the first 300 patients the technical parameters of the method were tested: the fleet enema preparation was found excellent or satisfactory in 95% of examinations. The tolerance was good in 96% of examinations--the mean length of operation was 5.15 min--the mean length of colon examined was 48.5 cm, the distance of 50 cm being surpassed in 50% of patients. The efficacy in the detection of the lesions was tested in 476 patients. Tumoral colonic lesions were detected in 105 patients with a total of 125 adenomas and 31 cancers. In the area that could have been explored by a rigid rectosigmoidoscope (0-19 cm) we found 71 lesions (50 adenoma and 10 carcinoma), whereas beyond this limit (25-60 cm) 85 lesions (50 adenoma and 10 carcinoma).