Does rigid sigmoidoscopy have a place in the modern outpatient colorectal clinic?

Background:
Although flexible sigmoidoscopy is now used in most outpatient colorectal clinics, rigid sigmoidoscopy is still used in many other (OP) colorectal clinics. The aim of our study is to assess the efficacy of rigid sigmoidoscopy.
Methods: Retrospective review of 103 patients that attended OP Colorectal clinic who had undergone rigid sigmoidoscopy for colorectal symptoms. Findings as well as requirement of further investigation were recorded.
Results:103 patients. Presenting symptoms were; change in bowel habit 47 (45.6%), PR bleeding 33 (32%), rectal mass 8 (7.8%), Abdominal pain 4 (3.9%), faecal incontinence 1 (0.9%), tenesmus 1 (0.9%), anaemia 1 (0.9%) and follow up patients 8 (7.8%). Finding were; normal mucosa 62 (60.1%), inflamed mucosa 5 (4.9%), rectal polyp 2 (1.9%) and uninformative 34
(33.1%). Of the 103 patients, 68 (66%) required further investigations. 35 (34%) did not required further investigation. Amongst those who had a normal finding, on further investigation 16 (25%) had different pathologies. 3 (42%) out of 7 patients whom had abnormal finding on rigid sigmoidoscopy, no abnormality was detected on further investigation.
Conclusions:Our study showed that rigid sigmoidoscopy was rarely useful in the OP clinic set up. Further investigations were almost always needed to complete the assessment of the patient.