A prolapse is a medical condition where an organ or tissue falls out of place, or “slips down.”
There are many types of prolapse, where a body part moves out of its proper place in the body. These prolapses may not cause any notable symptoms and may be found during an examination for another issue. In other cases, a prolapse can cause significant discomfort and decrease the ability of the body to function well.
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Types of Prolapse
A prolapse can happen in many areas of the body. Arectal prolapse, when severe, can lead to the intestine beginning to protrude from the anus. Essentially, the large intestine is no longer held in place properly and begins to slip outside the body.
A uterine prolapse is similar; the uterus and potentially other pelvic organs are no longer well attached to the structures of the abdomen and begin to slip down into the vagina, and potentially out of the body. The uterus begins to invert (turn inside out) and fall down. This can cause significant problems, making it difficult to urinate, causing pain, an inability to have intercourse, and many other problems. In most cases, surgery is necessary to correct the problem. Ahysterectomymay be performed for a prolapsed uterus.
Themitral valve in the heart is also known to prolapse, a condition that is often first noted during a checkup when the healthcare provider is listening to the heart sounds with a stethoscope.
Who Performs the Surgery to Correct Prolapse
The surgery done to treat prolapse will depend on the nature of the prolapse itself. A cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in open-heart surgery would likely perform the repair on the mitral valve while a colorectal surgeon would likely perform the rectal prolapse repair.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lammers K, Lince SL, Spath MA, et al.Pelvic organ prolapse and collagen-associated disorders.Int Urogynecol J. 2012;23(3):313-319. doi:10.1007/s00192-011-1532-yAmerican Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Rectal prolapse.Chung SH, Kim WB.Various approaches and treatments for pelvic organ prolapse in women.J Menopausal Med. 2018;24(3):155. doi:10.6118/jmm.2018.24.3.155Delling FN, Rong J, Larson MG, et al.Evolution of mitral valve prolapse: insights from the Framingham Heart Study.Circulation. 2016;133(17):1688-1695. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020621
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lammers K, Lince SL, Spath MA, et al.Pelvic organ prolapse and collagen-associated disorders.Int Urogynecol J. 2012;23(3):313-319. doi:10.1007/s00192-011-1532-yAmerican Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Rectal prolapse.Chung SH, Kim WB.Various approaches and treatments for pelvic organ prolapse in women.J Menopausal Med. 2018;24(3):155. doi:10.6118/jmm.2018.24.3.155Delling FN, Rong J, Larson MG, et al.Evolution of mitral valve prolapse: insights from the Framingham Heart Study.Circulation. 2016;133(17):1688-1695. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020621
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lammers K, Lince SL, Spath MA, et al.Pelvic organ prolapse and collagen-associated disorders.Int Urogynecol J. 2012;23(3):313-319. doi:10.1007/s00192-011-1532-yAmerican Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Rectal prolapse.Chung SH, Kim WB.Various approaches and treatments for pelvic organ prolapse in women.J Menopausal Med. 2018;24(3):155. doi:10.6118/jmm.2018.24.3.155Delling FN, Rong J, Larson MG, et al.Evolution of mitral valve prolapse: insights from the Framingham Heart Study.Circulation. 2016;133(17):1688-1695. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020621
Lammers K, Lince SL, Spath MA, et al.Pelvic organ prolapse and collagen-associated disorders.Int Urogynecol J. 2012;23(3):313-319. doi:10.1007/s00192-011-1532-y
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.Rectal prolapse.
Chung SH, Kim WB.Various approaches and treatments for pelvic organ prolapse in women.J Menopausal Med. 2018;24(3):155. doi:10.6118/jmm.2018.24.3.155
Delling FN, Rong J, Larson MG, et al.Evolution of mitral valve prolapse: insights from the Framingham Heart Study.Circulation. 2016;133(17):1688-1695. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020621
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