Rectal prolapse: symptoms and surgery

Rectal prolapse: discover the symptoms underlying the disorder and how to proceed with treatment.

Rectal prolapse refers  to the protrusion of the rectum from the anal canal.
Prolapse can usually be classified into two types:

• Mucosal prolapse , where only the mucosa protrudes from the anus;

In children , prolapse may generally manifest only in the mucosa following crying or constipation , when there is a congenital weakness of the pelvic support structures. Treatment in this case is conservative (manual reduction of the prolapse and regularization of bowel movements).
In adults , mucosal prolapse is frequently related to hemorrhoidal disease and often requires surgical removal.

• Complete or total prolapse , where the rectum protrudes in all its structures;

Patients with total rectal prolapse generally present with excessive mobility and relaxation of the supporting structures of the rectum and often also with excessive depth of the abdominal cavity (enterocele). The prolapse is usually caused by straining to defecate , coughing, or exertion at work , which causes increased intra-abdominal pressure .

Symptoms:

When prolapse occurs, a red swelling appears protruding from the anus , which can often be manually removed. This causes mucus leakage, bleeding, pain, difficulty defecating, and fecal incontinence .

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis is made by simply observing the patient during induced straining, which reveals the prolapse and its characteristics. Generally, no further tests are necessary (sometimes anorectal manometry and endoanal ultrasound, and rarely defecography, may play a role in deciding the type of surgery to perform).
In adults with general conditions that permit anesthesia, surgery is the only option.

The colorectal specialist will be able to decide on the type of surgery taking into account anesthesiological, surgical, and anatomical factors.

Contact us and make an appointment with the

Dr. Gaetano Tessera
, Medical Surgeon,
Specialist in General Surgery, Digestive System Surgery, and Surgical Digestive Endoscopy – Colonproctologist