Rectal prolapse occurs when the inner part of the rectum, which is the final region of the intestine, passes through the anus and is visible outside the body. Depending on the severity, the prolapse can be divided into two major types:
- Partial rectal prolapse: when only the mucous lining layer of the intestine is exposed. In these cases, the prolapse may be notorious; Total rectal prolapse: when all its layers are externalized, leading to a large volume of the rectum outside the body.
Generally, prolapse is more frequent in people over 60 years of age, the main cause being weak anal muscle due to aging, but it can also occur due to a very intense effort to evacuate, constipation or infection by the Trichuris worm. trichiura . When it occurs in children, especially those under 3 years old, prolapse usually happens due to weakness of the muscles and ligaments that support the intestine.
Rectal prolapse is curable, and its treatment includes regularizing the functioning of the intestine and reintroducing the rectum into the anus through surgery. In children, spontaneous improvement with growth is common, and it is only advisable to maintain guidance by a pediatrician or proctologist.
It should be remembered that rectal prolapse should not be confused with hemorrhoids. In the case of rectal prolapse, the final part of the intestine can be seen outside the body through the anus, while hemorrhoids arise when the veins in the intestine dilate and come out. Learn more about how to know if it is hemorrhoids and what to do.
Main symptoms
Normally, rectal prolapse can be identified by the exteriorization of the rectum, and a dark red, moist, tube-like tissue can be seen outside the anus.
However, other symptoms that can also appear include:
- Abdominal pain; Feeling of a mass in the anus; Burning, bleeding, discomfort and heaviness in the anus; Difficulty in defecating and feeling of incomplete bowel movement.
To confirm the diagnosis, the coloproctologist performs a proctological examination, through which prolapse in the anal orifice is observed. In some cases, tests such as colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or contrast radiographs may be ordered to facilitate confirmation and to observe the extent of the problem.
What are the causes
Rectal prolapse usually occurs at the extremes of life, in the elderly or children, and the main causes are:
- Constipation; Intense effort to evacuate; Weakening of the anus muscle; Intestinal infection by the worm Trichuris trichiura; Malformations of the intestine; Excessive weight loss.
In addition, prolapse can also arise whenever there is a change in the anatomy of the region, by surgery, childbirth, some injury or by diseases, such as enlarged prostate or malformation of the intestine. Learn more about the causes of rectal prolapse.
Is rectal prolapse normal in children?
Infant rectal prolapse is relatively common in children up to 3 years of age, because the muscles and ligaments that support the rectum are still forming and are therefore not strongly attached to the abdominal wall, and when the child has frequent diarrhea, the wall of the rectum prolapses and externalizes.
In this case, the treatment for rectal prolapse in children only consists of reintroducing the rectum, as with the child's growth, the rectum will fix itself properly on the wall. In addition, it may also be associated with infections, a deficit in nutrient absorption and constant constipation. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of this type of prolapse.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for rectal prolapse includes compressing the buttocks to try to reintroduce the rectum into the anus or, if necessary, manual reintroduction of the rectum by the proctologist.
In cases where rectal prolapse is caused by constipation, treatment also includes laxative medications, increased intake of fiber-rich foods and intake of about 2 liters of water per day, to try to reduce the effort to evacuate and try that the problem does not happen again.
Surgery for rectal prolapse is also an option, but it is only indicated as a last resort and, in cases of frequent rectal prolapse, and in surgery, part of the rectum can be removed or fixed to the sacrum bone, so that there is no more prolapse.
