It is not uncommon for a proctoscopy or rigid sigmoidoscopy light source to fail, sometimes at the most inconvenient of times. Replacement bulbs or light sources are often unobtainable, especially out of hours. A temporary solution is to remove the bulb and mains supply unit from the light source and insert a disposable pen torch in its place (Fig 1). These are commonplace on most wards and cheap. The pen torch fits snugly into the casing of the light source, providing illumination. While less bright than the original light source, a useable scope results. The added advantage of portability is also conveyed.
Figure 1.
Demonstration of disposable pen torch as a temporary light source