Clinical manifestations of rectal prolapse

Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on February 17, 2025
00:00
00:00

The main symptom of rectal prolapse is a swelling that protrudes from the anus. In the early stages, the swelling is small and only protrudes during defecation, retracting on its own afterwards. As the condition progresses, the protrusion occurs more frequently and grows larger, requiring manual assistance to push it back into the anus after defecation. This is accompanied by a feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation and a feeling of heaviness. If not addressed promptly, the prolapsed intestine may become swollen, constricted, incarcerated, and even risk necrosis. As the prolapse worsens, it can cause varying degrees of anal incontinence, accompanied by the discharge of mucus, which leads to eczema and itching around the anal area.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 6sec home-news-image

Clinical manifestations of rectal prolapse

The clinical manifestations of rectal prolapse mainly involve the contents within the anal canal, especially the prolapse of the rectal mucosa outside the anus, which is most common. Severe cases of rectal prolapse may lead to a cylindrical or conical prolapse. The common type of rectal prolapse mainly refers to rectal prolapse, but there can also be internal prolapse of the rectal mucosa. Internal prolapse of the rectal mucosa is characterized by excessive relaxation and accumulation of the rectal mucosa at the anus, causing symptoms such as a sense of blockage, downward pressure, and obstruction during bowel movements. This can be definitively diagnosed through an anal examination and defecography. Regardless of whether it is internal prolapse of the rectal mucosa or rectal prolapse, when the disease progresses to a severe degree affecting the patient's normal life, surgical treatment is recommended.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
52sec home-news-image

Can rectal prolapse heal itself?

Rectal mucosal prolapse primarily refers to a condition where the rectal mucosa becomes excessively relaxed, accumulates near the anus, and presents symptoms such as a distinct feeling of fullness and downward pressure at the anal area. Sometimes, the prolapsed mucosa may congest the anal opening, causing difficulty in defecation or even constipation. Rectal mucosal prolapse cannot heal completely on its own. Treatment options include medication to alleviate symptoms or surgery to remove the prolapsed mucosa. Patients with rectal mucosal prolapse should avoid straining excessively during bowel movements. If constipation occurs, patients should not strain too hard and may use enemas to assist with bowel movements.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 4sec home-news-image

Which department to consult for rectal prolapse?

Rectal prolapse is generally divided into internal mucosal prolapse and external prolapse. External mucosal prolapse is commonly known as rectal prolapse, which falls under the category of proctological diseases. Therefore, patients who suspect they have rectal prolapse should promptly visit a proctology department for relevant examinations and treatment. The examination and diagnosis of rectal prolapse mainly involve digital rectal examination, anoscopy, and defecography to confirm the diagnosis. Especially for internal mucosal prolapse, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, defecography is necessary for differentiation. In cases of rectal prolapse, one can generally see a ring-like protrusion outside the anus, and in severe cases, there may be conical or cylindrical prolapse. Regardless of whether it is internal mucosal prolapse or rectal prolapse, surgical treatment is necessary.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 6sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min home-news-image

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.