Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Feb;30(1):16-21.
doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1593431.

Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Medical Management of Rectal Prolapse

Jamie A Cannon  1
Affiliations
Review

Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Medical Management of Rectal Prolapse

Jamie A Cannon. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2017 Feb.

Abstract

Full-thickness rectal prolapse, or procidentia, is the passage of the full-thickness wall of the rectum beyond the anal sphincters. This condition results in pain and fecal incontinence which greatly impairs the quality of life of those afflicted. It is associated with several anatomic abnormalities, including decreased anal sphincter tone, levator muscle diastasis, and a deep anterior cul-de-sac. The diagnosis of rectal prolapse is made based on physical examination, although several other modalities are used to provide additional information about the patients' condition. While medical management of rectal prolapse can be effective in some cases, the mainstay of management of rectal prolapse is surgical correction.

Keywords: procidentia; rectal prolapse.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Rectal prolapse.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Rectal prolapse.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Large edematous rectal prolapse, which is more prone to incarceration.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Incarcerated prolapsed internal hemorrhoids.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Early rectal prolapse.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
MR defecography of rectal prolapse, credit to Thapar et al. Normal position at rest (A). During defecation (B–E), there is a rectorectal intussusception which progressively descends and eventually causes a rectal prolapse with mucosal outpouching through the anal verge (open arrow in E).
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
MR defecography of rectal prolapse (Figure courtesy of Mizell and Dr. Roopa Ram, UAMS).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Kairaluoma M V, Kellokumpu I H. Epidemiologic aspects of complete rectal prolapse. Scand J Surg. 2005;94(3):207–210. - PubMed
    1. Corman M L. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004. Rectal prolapse, solitary rectal ulcer, syndrome of the descending perineum, and rectocele; p. 1408.
    1. Marceau C, Parc Y, Debroux E, Tiret E, Parc R. Complete rectal prolapse in young patients: psychiatric disease a risk factor of poor outcome. Colorectal Dis. 2005;7(4):360–365. - PubMed
    1. Wassef R, Rothenberger D A, Goldberg S M. Rectal prolapse. Curr Probl Surg. 1986;23(6):397–451. - PubMed
    1. Madoff R D, Mellgren A. One hundred years of rectal prolapse surgery. Dis Colon Rectum. 1999;42(4):441–450. - PubMed