How to treat rectal prolapse?

Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on December 21, 2024
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Rectal prolapse mainly includes external rectal mucosal prolapse and internal rectal mucosal prolapse. External rectal mucosal prolapse primarily refers to the symptoms and types of clinical rectal prolapse. The most common and effective treatment for rectal prolapse or internal rectal mucosal prolapse is surgery. Simple medication can only relieve local relaxation or compressive symptoms, but it does not have a definitive therapeutic effect on the disease itself. The surgery mainly involves the removal and excision of the relaxed and prolapsed mucosa, thereby increasing the tightness of the intestinal mucosa and relieving the local mucosal pressure on the anus, which causes the patient's feelings of bloating and descent. After the surgery, patients need to rest in bed for a week and should avoid squatting and excessive abdominal straining in their future activities.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Can rectal prolapse cause rectal bleeding?

If it is a recurrent case of rectal prolapse, as the prolapsed mucosa appears at the anus and rubs against it repeatedly when the patient walks or moves, it can lead to mucosal rupture and bleeding. Therefore, in severe cases of rectal prolapse or when a complete prolapse occurs, there might be bleeding during defecation. The diagnosis of rectal prolapse requires an examination with an anoscope and defecography to make a definitive diagnosis. For mild rectal prolapse, one can treat it with oral medications that supplement and boost the body's vital energy, and this can be supplemented with herbal enemas. For severe cases of internal mucosal rectal prolapse or complete mucosal prolapse, it is advisable to undergo surgical removal of the excess mucosa through excision or suturing. This surgery can alleviate symptoms of discomfort and prevent other complications.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Causes of rectal prolapse

The causes of rectal prolapse primarily include older age or physical weakness leading to relaxation and sagging of the pelvic and rectal mucosa. Prolonged constipation can also lead to excessive straining during bowel movements, causing stress-induced sagging of the intestinal mucosa. Additionally, women who have gone through childbirth may experience rectal prolapse due to excessive straining of the pelvic floor muscles during delivery or increased abdominal pressure during pregnancy, which compresses the rectal mucosa. The treatment for rectal prolapse mainly consists of conservative medication or surgical removal. For mild cases of rectal prolapse, including those in children, traditional Chinese medicine enemas can be used. However, for moderate to severe cases, or cases where prolapse recurs frequently and significantly forms a complete prolapse, surgical removal is recommended.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Rectal prolapse symptoms

The symptoms of rectal prolapse mainly refer to local mucosal relaxation in the anal canal, which leads to the prolapse of the internal mucosa outside the anus, or excessive relaxation of the mucosa that accumulates at the anus, forming an internal mucosal prolapse of the rectum. Rectal prolapse may also manifest as local bloating, pain, and a feeling of falling in the patient. Due to repeated prolapses, it may also cause difficulties in defecation due to mucosal accumulation at the anus, or form outlet obstructive constipation. Therefore, whether it is internal mucosal prolapse of the rectum or prolapse that leads to rectal prolapse, it is advisable for patients to undergo surgical treatment as soon as possible to avoid aggravating the condition and delaying treatment.

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Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
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Can people with rectal prolapse eat beef?

Rectal prolapse mainly occurs when the rectal mucosa prolapses out of the anus during defecation. If the symptoms are severe, the rectal mucosa can also protrude out of the anus during prolonged standing or exertion. As for whether beef can be eaten, because beef is generally spicy and many cooking methods are spicy, spicy foods can affect bowel movements, causing congestion and swelling of the anal mucosa. Therefore, it is best to avoid spicy beef. Furthermore, beef tends to cause "internal heat" in the body, which can lead to constipation. It is recommended that patients with rectal prolapse eat more vegetables and fruits to maintain smooth bowel movements. Thus, if one really wants to eat beef, it's best to either not make it spicy or to eat it in moderation.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Can glycerin suppositories be used for rectal prolapse?

If a patient experiences difficulty in defecation or constipation due to rectal prolapse, enemas can be used to help facilitate bowel movements. The basic principle behind the defecation difficulties caused by rectal prolapse is due to the prolapsed, lax mucosa blocking the anal opening, preventing normal excretion of stool. Alternatively, when excretion does occur, it may be impeded by the mucosal obstruction, obstructing the normal passage of feces. Therefore, besides using enemas to address difficulty in defection and bowel movement, it is more necessary to surgically remove the lax mucosa to achieve a fundamental treatment. The use of enemas alone can only provide temporary relief of symptoms and does not address the root cause of the problem. For rectal mucosal prolapse, a stapled hemorrhoidopexy can be performed to surgically remove the prolapsed mucosa.