Will rectal prolapse cause the stool to become thinner?

Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on September 28, 2024
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Patients with rectal prolapse may experience a narrowing of their stool, which is primarily due to the relaxation of the rectal mucosa associated with rectal prolapse. The relaxed mucosa accumulates at the anus, blocking the passage of feces and thus altering the shape of the stool as it is expelled, generally resulting in thinner or flattened stools. Therefore, if it is definitively diagnosed that the change in stool shape is due to rectal prolapse, surgical treatment is recommended. The surgery involves excising or suturing the excessively relaxed rectal mucosa to allow for a smoother passage of stool and to prevent alterations in stool shape. Additionally, it is important for patients to maintain good lifestyle and bowel habits post-surgery, spend minimal time defecating, and avoid prolonged squatting or straining actions.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Rectal prolapse treatment

Rectal prolapse is primarily categorized into mild rectal prolapse as well as moderate and severe rectal prolapse. Mild rectal prolapse generally occurs in the early stages of the illness or in children and can be treated conservatively. Conservative treatment mainly involves Chinese herbal retention enemas. On the other hand, moderate and severe rectal prolapse can result in the protrusion of the local mucosa outside the anus, presenting as cylindrical or cone-shaped prolapses. Treating moderate to severe hemorrhoidal prolapse requires surgical intervention. The main surgical methods include hemorrhoidal mucosectomy with stapling and local submucosal sclerosant injections. It is also important to caution postoperative patients against squatting for long periods or straining during constipation, as these actions can exacerbate symptoms of submucosal prolapse.

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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 Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
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Is rectal prolapse the same as hemorrhoids?

Rectal prolapse and hemorrhoids are two different diseases. Rectal prolapse refers to the condition where the rectal mucosa, or sometimes the entire rectal wall, prolapses downwards during defecation, prolonged standing, or fatigue, especially in severe cases. Hemorrhoids, on the other hand, involve the prolapse of vascular cushions and anal padding, sometimes accompanied by symptoms like rectal bleeding. The causes, mechanisms, pathology, symptoms, and treatment methods of these two conditions are distinct, making rectal prolapse and hemorrhoids two separate diseases.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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What are the symptoms of rectal prolapse?

Rectal prolapse is a common clinical disease in proctology, primarily affecting children, postpartum women, and the elderly. Symptoms of rectal prolapse include varying degrees of bloating and a feeling of falling at the anus. Sometimes, due to the accumulation of mucosa at the anal opening, normal defecation is impeded, leading to constipation and difficulty in bowel movement. To examine and diagnose rectal prolapse, an anoscopy is necessary. Under anoscopy, the relaxed mucosa that accumulates can be seen at the mirror opening. Treatment for rectal prolapse in children may involve the use of traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas, which can gradually alleviate the prolapse as the body's condition improves. For postpartum women or the elderly, treatment may also involve traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas in combination with surgical excision. The primary surgical procedure used is a Hemorrhoidal mucosal circular stapling operation.

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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.