What symptom can be expected after a sigmoidoscopy due to air instillation during the procedure?

After a sigmoidoscopy, it is common to experience flatulence due to the air that is instilled into the rectum and colon during the procedure. This is a routine part of the examination, as the air helps to expand the bowel and improve visibility for the physician. As the air is expulsed from the gastrointestinal tract after the procedure, one may notice increased gas and the need to pass flatulence.

While abdominal cramping can occur, it is typically a sensation related to the air, and flatulence is a more direct and expected result of the air being released post-sigmoidoscopy. Nausea can occur for various reasons but is not a typical direct result of the air instillation specific to sigmoidoscopy. Dehydration is not associated with this procedure, as it primarily involves air introduction, rather than fluid loss or gastrointestinal distress that would lead to dehydration.