Rectal examination

Rectal examination

The finger encounters a sharply defined shelf-like interruption of the lumen. If the calibre is large enough to admit the finger, it should be noted whether the stricture is annular or tubular. Sometimes this point can be determined only after dilatation. A biopsy of the stricture must be taken. Often the examination will be painful and needs to be performed under general anaes - thesia when biopsies and gentle, graduated dilatation ma y be undertaken.