Intestinal examination is an important part of the examination of gastroenterological problems. When a person begins to be bothered by pain or other unpleasant sensations in the intestine, then it is necessary to conduct a full examination in order to make the correct diagnosis. However, not everyone knows that gastroenterological examination is not only a test of the stomach and intestines. It is also a diagnostic search for a possible problem in the liver or gall bladder, pancreas.
An examination of the intestine always begins with the questioning of the patient. Detailing complaints is very important in this situation, because this can lead to a diagnosis, or at least suspect its symptoms.
Then the doctor proceeds to a general examination of the patient. It is also of great importance in the diagnosis, because you can often see specific symptoms of the disease: local bloating, spider veins or a sign of antiperistaltic movements. However, you should not completely and completely rely only on the inspection data, because often they are subjective and nonspecific, i.e. characteristic of many diseases.
After examination, auscultation and palpation of the abdominal cavity are performed. When listening to any valuable data, it is almost impossible - just make sure again that there is a problem. What can not be said about palpation - this is a fairly informative diagnostic method, of course, provided that it is carried out correctly. Palpation of the intestine is performed counterclockwise, starting from the left iliac region. Further, the doctor’s hand rises from the sigmoid colon downward to the splenic angle. After this, it is necessary to palpate the transverse colon, the right hepatic angle, the descending section. Then the cecum and appendix are examined. It is in this order that the intestines are palpated. With proper palpation, you can easily suspect any changes in the structure and location of the organ.
An examination of the intestine, or rather, the rectum, must be carried out in the patient’s position, standing on his knees and resting on his elbows. So the rectum will be maximally accessible by palpation. During this examination, you can diagnose hemorrhoidal enlargement of the lymph nodes, tumor formations, ulcers, fistulas and abscesses. In addition to this method, anoscopy is necessary - a visual examination of the rectal mucosa at the level of 10-15 cm.
An examination of the intestine does not end there; a number of instrumental diagnostic methods must also be carried out. You can start with rectoscopy - the introduction of the sensor through the rectum to a depth of no more than 30 cm. If, however, no changes were found at this level, then a colonoscopy with a biopsy should be performed. This diagnostic method allows you to examine the large intestine along its entire length, in the absence of narrowings, kinks and adhesions.
Ultrasonography is an ultrasound diagnosis of the intestine with the help of which it is possible to diagnose a thickening of the intestinal wall, abscess, effusion, intussusception and many other diseases.
The caprogram - laboratory diagnosis of excrement should not be neglected. Often this analysis can confirm the pathological process or make the doctor think about it.
Examination of the small intestine in full can be done only by one method - radiography with contrast. The patient is given a drink of barium contrast suspension several hours before the procedure, after which radiographic images are taken. This study allows you to determine the pathology at any level of the small intestine.
You can also use an endoscope and enteroscope, but they do not give 100% information content.