Rectal examination

Many doctors are reluctant to perform rectal examinations. Our physical examination textbook[1] specifies the circumstances under which such an examination is not appropriate for a patient over forty admitted to hospital...

[...] the examiner has no fingers or acute illness such as myocardial infarction presents a temporary contraindication [...]

1. N. J. Talley and S. O'Connor, Clinical Examination, 5th edition, Elsevier, 2006.