What happens at the office appointment

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This is a general description. Every doctor and every appointment is unique based on the medical condition, doctor, and patient. The first part of the appointment is talking with your doctor. We may not have time to talk about all of your concerns in just one day so make sure to bring up the concern that is the most important to you first. If one day is not enough to address all of your concerns, more appointments can be made

 All steps of the exam are communicated to patients before they happen and as they happen so that everyone can feel comfortable. For many patients, an exam of the anus and sometimes rectum, is indicated. A proctoscopy exam bed folds like the top picture. These pictures are cartoons from an operating room, but in an office setting, most of your clothes stay on. We have you drop your pants/skirt and underwear only. The bottom picture shows an option for patients for whom leaning over is uncomfortable.

For many patients, anoscopy is indicated. This begins by inserting a lubricated finger into the anus. The finger is then removed and an anoscope, a small speculum made for the anus, is inserted to better see the area. The anoscope is adjusted to better see the entire area. The whole exam is generally completed within 30 - 60 seconds. The exam bed is then lowered and the patient is given privacy to use the bathroom or wipe the lubricant off. 

The exam ends with another conversation to discuss the exam findings and to plan what should happen next.