Comparison of the rigid sigmoidoscope and the flexible sigmoidoscope in conjunction with colon x-ray for detection of lesions of the colon and rectum.

A series of 1007 patients was randomly divided into two groups, one a group of 499 patients who underwent rigid sigmoidoscopy and the other a group of 508 patients who had flexible sigmoidoscopy. Contrast barium enema studies were subsequently performed in all patients. Eighteen per cent of the patients had a neoplasm. We concluded that, given the amount of colon surveyed by rigid and flexible sigmoidoscopy in conjunction with contrast barium enema, there was no difference in the rate of detection between the two endoscopic techniques.