Vaginal Prolapse Treatment Options

There's relief, and there are choices

Even though 1 in 2 women over 45 suffer from some sort of prolapse, living with the discomfort, pain, and anxiety of vaginal prolapse is something nobody needs to experience. Depending on the type of prolapse you have, there are a number of vaginal prolapse treatment options. Don't wait–make an appointment today to learn how you can get back to an active, normal lifestyle.

A number of options are available for treating vaginal prolapse. Your choices depend on the type and severity of your prolapse, your medical situation, age, and lifestyle. Options range from managing symptoms to surgical options–including abdominal or vaginal surgeries.

No one option is right for all women. That's why it's so important to discuss the benefits and risks of each possible treatment with a specialist when choosing the one that's best for you.

	Non-surgical treatment methods New minimally invasive procedures Other surgical options Risks and precautions

Non-surgical treatment methods

Although there are no medications to treat vaginal prolapse, there are some simple treatments that do not require prolapse surgery. Women who are just beginning to experience symptoms of vaginal prolapse may opt for non-surgical methods as a first step. For women dealing with mild symptoms, these simple changes may be an effective vaginal prolapse treatment.

• Managing symptoms—especially bladder or bowel symptoms. If you suffer from occasional loss of bladder control, absorbent pads, liners or adult diapers trap leaks away from the body and clothing, while also neutralizing odors. In the case of bowel symptoms, your physician may be able to offer ways to help improve bowel movements.

  Note: Although bladder control problems may be caused by vaginal prolapse, sometimes women who experience urine leakage may not have vaginal prolapse, but instead may be suffering from stress urinary incontinence, a related condition. Click here to learn more about this.

• Behavior therapies—By making simple lifestyle changes—like losing weight, eating high fiber foods, stopping smoking, and avoiding heavy lifting or straining—some women are able to minimize the frequency and severity of their vaginal prolapse symptoms.

• Medications—There are no medications used to treat vaginal prolapse.

• Physical therapy—Many physicians or physical therapists recommend regular pelvic muscle exercises, known to many women as Kegel exercises. These may help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and may relieve some symptoms of minor prolapse. Kegels are done by identifying the pelvic floor muscles (one way to locate these muscles is to try stopping the flow of urine when you're going to the bathroom). They're easy to learn and perform on your own–even while you're watching TV or driving, though they need to be done correctly and regularly.

  Note: Kegel exercises are a treatment only–have not been established as a way to prevent vaginal prolapse

• Vaginal pessary—Also known as a uterine prolapse pessary, this is a device that is placed into the vagina to provide support to the related pelvic structures and relieve pressure on the bowel and bladder. These devises may be a ring or a donut shape, or a ring with support. The are usually made of silicone and fitted by a physician. Pessaries are usually used with patients who decline surgery, who may be poor candidates for surgery, or who need temporary relief of pregnancy related prolapse or incontinence.

Advanced minimally invasive surgical procedures

Prolapse repair surgery returns prolapsed organs to a more normal anatomical position and strengthens structures around your vagina to maintain support and suspension of organs.

Many women are turning to new, advanced minimally invasive treatment options because they:

• Minimize tissue trauma
• Restore normal anatomy with a faster recovery than traditional open abdominal prolapse surgery options
• Minimize pain compared to more invasive procedures

Vaginal prolapse solutions–Surgical mesh

Many doctors now use mesh as a vaginal prolapse treatment. These mesh repairs may be as effective as traditional surgical procedures, while smaller incisions potentially minimize pain and recovery time.

Depending on your needs and the procedure performed, your doctor may be able to choose a graft made from either a synthetic mesh or a biologic mesh to repair the prolapse and restore your anatomy.

What to expect during the procedure
Typically, these minimally invasive prolapse treatment procedures take place on an in-patient basis and are performed under general anesthesia. Minimally invasive mesh repair procedures generally follow these steps:

• A vaginal incision and a few small skin incisions are made. You may either have an incision at the crease where your upper thigh meets your buttocks or in the middle of your buttocks on both sides.
• The mesh is inserted through an incision, placed in the body, secured with stitches, and the incisions are closed.

The use of mesh in surgical procedures is not new, and is commonly used. Mesh used for vaginal prolapse surgery is light, soft, porous, and pliable, allowing your own body's tissues to grow in and around it. Once placed, you should not feel the mesh inside you.

What to expect afterwards
Your hospital stay will be determined by your doctor. Incisions will be small and should heal quickly so, depending on the nature of your work, you may be able to return to work after one to two weeks. However, you will need to refrain from sexual intercourse, heavy lifting, and rigorous exercise for six to eight weeks to allow your body to heal. Your doctor will provide you with additional information on how to care for yourself after surgery.

It's important to know that some patients experience incontinence that was hidden before surgery. Others may notice inflammation or irritation following their procedure. If this happens to you, consult your physician.

Other surgical options

There are many different surgical options, so it's important to talk with your specialist to understand what's best for you, and why. If your doctor recommends a more invasive surgery over minimally invasive surgery, make sure you are fully aware of the risks and side effects beforehand. These surgeries are usually performed in a hospital under regional or general anesthesia, and the recovery period may be longer than for less invasive surgical procedures.

• Sacral Colpopexy – This is a surgical procedure that attaches one end of mesh to the top of the vagina and the other end to the upper part of the tailbone. This is typically a more invasive surgical option.
• Plication – This involves reattaching the weakened tissue to other tissue; although this may be less invasive.

Risks and precautions

Before any vaginal prolapse treatment, it's important to have a discussion with a specialist to understand the full risks and precautions involved. Click here to find a list of helpful questions to ask. Although there is a low rate of complications, the most common are pain, infection, or pain or discomfort during intercourse.

Surgical procedures are not recommended for everyone, especially if you:

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the future
• Have blood coagulation disorders
• Have a compromised immune system