Routine Rectal Palpation in Acute Abdomen has no Proven Value: A Review of the Literature

A digital rectal examination (DRE) is standard practice in cases of acute abdomen in adult patients. We analyzed the evidence for this by a systematic literature search, and identified 16 relevant original studies. These studies showed that there is no evidence for a diagnostic value of DRE in adult patients with acute abdomen. We should stop doing routine DRE in adult cases of acute abdomen.