About the examination

You are going to have an examination of your rectum and the lower part of your large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera. This examination is also called a sigmoidoscopy. We check for any changes in the lining of your bowel. We may also take tissue samples and remove polyps.

You can expect to be at the hospital for about 1 hour, but there may be some waiting time.

If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact us in good time so that someone else can have your appointment time. You can find the phone number under contact details.

Important preparation

You must fast before the examination

You must not eat or drink before the examination. This means:

• Stop eating at least 6 hours before your examination.
• Stop drinking milk products and juice with pulp at least 6 hours before your examination.
• Stop drinking all types of cold and hot drinks 2 hours before your examination.

Take your usual morning medicine, but wait with diabetes medicine
Take your usual medicine with a small amount of water. However, this does not apply to diabetes medicine, which must not be taken until after the examination.

You need to empty your bowel

Your rectum must be empty before the examination. 2 hours before the examination, you need to take a laxative enema (Klyx, 240 ml). Klyx comes in a tube. For best effect of the enema, lie on your left side, insert the tip of the tube into your rectum, and empty the contents by squeezing the tube. You may want to place a towel under you. Try to stay on your side for 5–10 minutes. Make sure you are close to a toilet after taking the enema. You can pick up a free Klyx enema at Endoskopiafsnit K (Endoscopy Unit K) or buy one from a pharmacy.

At the hospital

You will have a cannula inserted

We will insert a cannula into your arm. Through the cannula, we can give you medicine or fluids during the examination, if needed.

The examination

You are usually awake during the examination and will lie on your left side. The examination is carried out by a doctor or a nurse. They will first check for any narrowing or small tears in the rectum by gently inserting a finger. We then insert a flexible tube with a camera, about 1 cm thick, into your rectum and further up into your large bowel.

Using the camera, we examine the lining of your bowel and remove any polyps if necessary. In some cases, we also take tissue samples for further examination.

The examination takes 20-45 minutes. In some cases, you may need to rest in the unit afterwards.

You may eat and drink after the examination

We will offer you something to eat and drink after the examination. You are also welcome to eat some food you have brought with you.

You may feel bloated

After the examination, you may feel bloated and have a sense of pressure in your stomach. This is because we have introduced air into your bowel to improve visibility during the procedure. Your stool may also be slightly loose. This is normal and temporary.

You may experience side effects

The pain-relieving and sedative medicine may cause side effects. These may include drowsiness, tiredness, temporary forgetfulness and nausea. This is common and will pass on its own. 

Results of the examination

You will get the result of the examination straight away. If we have taken tissue samples or removed polyps, we will agree with you how and when you will receive the final results. Please note that because you have access to parts of your medical record, you may receive an automatic message before we have reviewed the results.

If we decide that you need a follow-up appointment, we will send you an invitation.

Risks related to the examination

There may be a risk of discomfort or complications during or after the examination. If there are specific reasons why you may be at higher risk, we will discuss this with you. In some cases, there may be bleeding from the bowel if we remove a polyp. In very rare cases, a tear in the bowel may occur. If this happens, we will treat it.

At home

Important precautions for the first 24 hours

If you have received sedative or pain-relieving medicine, there are some precautions you must follow during the first 24 hours. Please note that you:

• must not drive or operate machinery
• should not drink alcohol

You will be given more information to take home

We will give you information about what to be aware of once you are back at home.