Rectum
Rectum - Related Videos
01:25
Assessment of the Rectum and Anus
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2025
Evaluating the rectum and anus plays a crucial role in conducting a thorough physical examination of the gastrointestinal system. Although it may be uncomfortable and often embarrassing for the patient, it holds immense diagnostic value, particularly in detecting gastrointestinal diseases and abnormalities. This guide will explain how to perform this assessment using inspection and palpation methods. Rectal Inspection Begin by inspecting the perianal and anal areas for color, texture, rashes,...
06:59
A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
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Cited by 5 •
2016
This study presents a novel device that offers an easy route to quickly provide medications and fluids in patients with limited or difficult IV access. This small-diameter device is placed in the distal third of the rectum, allowing for ongoing medication and fluids administration.
13:01
Pelvic Exam III: Bimanual and Rectovaginal Exam
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2023
Source: Alexandra Duncan, GTA, Praxis Clinical, New Haven, CT Tiffany Cook, GTA, Praxis Clinical, New Haven, CT Jaideep S. Talwalkar, MD, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT A bimanual exam is a thorough check of a patient's cervix, uterus, and ovaries. It can tell an experienced provider a great deal, as it may lead to the discovery of abnormalities, such as cysts, fibroids, or malignancies. However, it's useful even in the absence of such findings, as it...
07:51
The C-seal: A Biofragmentable Drain Protecting the Stapled Colorectal Anastomosis from Leakage
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Cited by 8 •
2010
The C-seal is a biofragmentable drain protecting the stapled colorectal anastomosis. In this video, details of the manufacturing, deployment and use are shown.
09:39
Male Rectal Exam
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2023
Source: Joseph Donroe, MD, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT While its usefulness in cancer screening is debated, the male rectal examination remains an important part of the physical exam. The exam is indicated in selected patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, urinary and/or fecal incontinence or retention, back pain, anorectal symptoms, abdominal complaints, trauma patients, unexplained anemia, weight loss, or bone pain. There are no absolute...
FAQs
Stretch receptors detect expansion as fecal material enters the rectum and transmit signals to the nervous system. This sensory feedback helps initiate the defecation reflex, linking physical distension with coordinated muscular activity. The mechanism allows the body to recognize that elimination is possible and helps organize the contractions and sphincter responses required for controlled passage.
Defecation depends on coordinated activity rather than rectal contraction alone. Rectal muscles contract to help propel contents, while the internal and external anal sphincters regulate whether passage occurs. Their controlled relaxation opens the route for elimination, whereas continued closure supports retention. Studying this coordination is important for understanding bowel control and pelvic floor physiology.
The defecation reflex connects sensory detection, nervous-system signaling, muscle contraction, and sphincter relaxation into one functional response. Examining these linked events helps biologists explain how the digestive tract transitions from storage to elimination. It also provides a framework for studying impaired bowel control, because disruption at any stage could affect the final passage of fecal material.
The rectum provides a useful point for connecting gastrointestinal transport with mechanisms that control elimination. Its position between the sigmoid colon and anal canal allows researchers to examine how fecal material is received, retained, and passed onward. These relationships make rectal anatomy relevant to broader studies of digestion, colorectal disorders, and coordinated pelvic floor function.
A rectal examination can contribute to the identification of abnormalities such as inflammation, tumors, and bleeding. Its value comes from evaluating the terminal gastrointestinal region in the context of symptoms and bowel function. In biology and medicine, examination findings can therefore support assessment of colorectal disorders and help determine whether additional investigation is warranted.
Imaging and tissue sampling provide complementary information about suspected rectal abnormalities. Imaging can help investigate structural changes, while a tissue sample permits examination of material from the affected region. Together with rectal examination, these approaches support the study and identification of inflammation, tumors, bleeding, and other gastrointestinal abnormalities without relying on functional observations alone.