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35 years
My mom has a problem with her bowel. It has dropped a bit and doc said it needs operation. Is the operation and post operation tough? What would happen if she doesn't do it?
Jun 25, 2014
2nd opinion

Dr. Rania Mousa General Medicine
As one ages, organs can shift positions. Pregnancy, childbirth or extra weight can stretch and weaken muscles that support your pelvic organs. A sheet of muscles and ligaments called the pelvic floor supports the uterus, small bowel, colon and bladder. If pelvic floor muscles are weak, organs may drop and bulge into the vagina. When that happens,one may feel like something is falling out of the vagina or may have a sensation of fullness or pain. It can also become difficult to hold urine or have a bowel movement.
Risk factors include previous childbirth (usually more than one vaginal delivery), chronic constipation, coughing, as from chronic bronchitis or smoking, obesity, age, hysterectomy and menopause. There also may be slight genetic risk.
One may have a single prolapse or a combination. We can determine this through a pelvic examination.
There are four options to consider for treatment ,the doctor is the one to decide what option is suitable with your mom's case depending on the stage and different factors:
1-Do nothing - if the prolapse is not causing any interferance with daily life. However, avoiding heavy lifting or prolonged standing will reduce the symptoms.
2-Physiotherapy may help with the use of the pelvic floor exercises and equipment aimed at stimulating and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. The aim would be to relieve any discomfort and in mild cases, possibly cure the prolapse. Further information about pelvic floor exercises can be found via the conservative treatments link box below.
3-The use of a mechanical device called a pessary. This is used to 'hold up' the prolapse and reduce the symptoms. The pessaries do not cure prolapse but just control the prolapse whilst the pessary is in place. There are a variety of pessaries available, but the most commonly used one is the ring pessary.
4-Finally, surgery - The most common surgery for prolapse is a pelvic floor repair. This is a term used to describe basic repairs to the pelvic floor. More specifically, the term anterior repair refers to correction of the front wall of the vagina; and posterior repair, to correction of the back wall of the vagina. If the uterus is prolapsing, then it can be removed with a hysterectomy. If you have already had a hysterectomy, then the top of the vagina can be re-suspended.
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