Treating pelvic organ prolapse

At The Christ Hospital Health Network, we know that getting back to enjoying your life is key. That's why our experienced, leading-edge physicians provide the most advanced treatment available for pelvic organ prolapse.

The Christ Hospital Pelvic Floor Center is dedicated to helping women with pelvic organ prolapse regain their quality of life. The Center is one of only a few in the country that offers cutting-edge therapy for pelvic organ prolapse, so you can get back to pursuing life as you prefer it—free from aggravating symptoms.

Treatment is tailored to you, your stage in life and the severity of your symptoms. We also offer alternatives to traditional surgery that make treatment easier and recovery faster.

Non-surgical treatments

• Bladder training—a therapy that involves emptying your bladder at scheduled times to help with incontinence

• Hormone therapy—if you're menopausal, estrogen in a topical cream or pill form may be prescribed to improve estrogen levels and help strengthen the vaginal walls for better support

• Kegel exercises—exercises to strengthen muscles around the urethra, vagina and rectum openings to improve incontinence

• Lifestyle changes—such as weight loss, avoiding repetitive lifting of heavy objects and treating chronic conditions, like coughs and constipation, may slow the progression of a prolapse

• Pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback—teaches proper exercises for building pelvic muscles, keeping them strong and slowing prolapse progression

• Pessary—a small device, typically made of silicone, fitted into the vagina to support pelvic structures 
  

Surgery

When non-surgical treatment does not improve your condition, your doctor may recommend surgery. The surgery you will have depends on the type of prolapse you have, your overall health, and your desire to retain sexual function or have children. 

Your doctor may suggest surgery depending on your type of prolapse, anatomy, overall health, and desire to retain sexual function or have children.

Our specialist at The Christ Hospital Pelvic Floor Center are able to treat the majority of prolapses through the vagina without the use of mesh. Our highly skilled, experienced surgeons are able to fix even the most complicated issues through the vagina (also known as natural orifice surgery). For rare occurrences where mesh is required, minimally invasive surgery can be done.

Procedures performed include:

• Prolapse of bladder to vagina (cystocele)
  

• Prolapse of rectum to vagina (rectocele)

• Prolapse of uterus ( utero-vaginal prolapse)

• Prolapse of vaginal vault  or top of the vagina in someone who has undergone a previous hysterectomy

• Rectal prolapse ( the inside lining of the rectum prolapses outside the anal opening)
  

Leading-edge facilities

In addition to the highly specialized Pelvic Floor Center, we have an innovative Women’s Surgery Center designed specifically for women. Our Center features spacious operating rooms, the da Vinci surgical system for robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery, and telemedicine technology for real-time, remote consultations with pathologists.

Sometimes fear of the unknown leads women to ignore symptoms and delay surgery. Talk with your gynecologist about your concerns so you can make informed decisions about your care. We specialize in minimally invasive surgeries using small incisions. These procedures mean you have less scarring, decreased pain and faster recovery—so you can get home to your family sooner.

Find a Women’s Health doctor who specializes in pelvic organ prolapase.