PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

Your consultation appointment is a time for your surgeon to review your concerns, the testing you have had to date, and your medical history. Sometimes you will be discussing something very serious like a new cancer diagnosis. Consider bringing a family member or close friend for support and to have a second set of ears. There can be a lot of information covered during your consultation and it might be difficult to remember it all.

Please be sure to bring an up to date list of all of your medications to your appointment. You may wish to bring a paper list, or you might take photos of the medication labels to keep on your phone.

If you are attending the clinic for an anorectal concern, for example bleeding from the anus or rectum, hemorrhoids, tissue prolapse coming from the rectum, an abscess, or a fistula, or are attending the clinic for a consultation for rectal cancer or a rectal cancer follow up please complete a fleet enema prior to your appointment as your surgeon will complete a rigid proctosigmoidoscopy to visualize the distal rectum.

A rigid proctosigmoidoscope is essentially a lighted tube that allows air to fill the rectum to stretch the walls and allow your surgeon to check for any abnormalities such as growths like polyps or tumors, inflammation, or to check a bowel connection from your surgery.