How Is Rectal Prolapse Diagnosed and Treated?
Do you feel like something "unusual" is going on around your anus, especially after you poop? Perhaps you have pain and bleeding after defecation, or maybe there's a bulge outside of your anus. You may be dealing with a rectal prolapse, which is a condition in which part of the rectum slips out through the anus. It's a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor for diagnosis and treatment ASAP. Here's how rectal prolapse is diagnosed and treated.
How Rectal Prolapse Is Diagnosed
Rectal prolapses are generally diagnosed via a visual exam of your rectum. In other words, your doctor will look at the area around your anus in order to assess whether your rectum is, indeed, prolapsing. During this exam, they may ask you to bear down as if you were about to defecate.
In some cases, your doctor may want to perform an ultrasound on the area. This is done in order to determine the severity of the prolapse and to assess any related damage to the rectum. An anal ultrasound uses sound waves to produce an image of the internal tissues of your rectum. It involves your practitioner inserting a slim ultrasound probe in your anal sphincter.
Occasionally, if your doctor is worried that your prolapse is related to damage further up the colon, they may order a thorough colonoscopy. If this is done, you'll generally be anesthetized or sedated prior to the procedure.
How Rectal Prolapse Is Treated
If your doctor determines that you do, indeed, have a prolapsed rectum, then they will likely recommend surgery to return the rectum to its normal position. Usually, this is done laparoscopically through several small incisions in your abdomen. You'll be put under anesthesia for the procedure. Your surgeon will pull the rectum back into place and then secure it with appropriate stitches.
If your doctor does not feel you're healthy enough for abdominal surgery, then the repair may be conducted through an incision in the perineum, which is the tissue around the anus. This procedure is less invasive, but the recovery can be a bit more involved since you have to keep the incision as clean as possible.
If you think you may have a prolapsed rectum, don't wait any longer to contact your doctor. This is not a condition that will resolve itself; you will likely need surgery to repair the damage if your rectum is, in fact, prolapsed. Contact a doctor for rectal prolapse treatment.
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