Anterior Posterior Repair Colporrhaphy

What are the Causes of Anterior Posterior Prolapse?

Doctors have listed few probable causes of anterior posterior prolapse:

• Pregnancy
• Difficult labour and delivery
• Hysterectomy
• Delivering a huge baby
• Being overweight or obese
• Chronic constipation
• Chronic cough or bronchitis
• Repeated heavy lifting
• Increasing age
• Lower estrogen level after menopause

Why is Colporrhaphy Required?

Colporrhaphy is performed because of two common issues- cystocele and rectocele.

A cystocele happens when the bladder pushes against debilitated tissue in the vagina and drops into it.

A rectocele happens when the rectum bulges into the vagina.

Cystocele and rectocele can cause distress, loss of control on urination or defecation, bladder diseases, obstruction, and pain amid sex. Sometimes these issues aggravate and a surgical intervention like Colporrhaphy is needed.

In a nutshell, the purpose of performing Colporrhaphy is to

• Repair a cystocele or enterocele
• Correct urinary stress incontinence
• Repair vesicovaginal fistulas
• Excise a suburethral cyst or diverticulum
• Access the peritoneal cavity through the anterior cul-de-sac

How is Colporrhaphy Performed?

Sacrospinous Fixation (SSF) is used to fix cystocele and rectocele. The surgery will be completed under a general analgesic (you will sleep throughout the operation) or a spinal soporific (you'll be conscious but won't feel anything).

The surgery will be conducted through the vaginal passage. A suture will be passed through the sacrospinous tendon which is located inside the pelvis. This is utilised to lift the uterus/cervix/vaginal vault. The vaginal divider will be cut so that the projecting organ can be lifted once more into its right position. In the end, the cut will be sewed utilising dissolvable sutures.

What are the Postoperative Complications?

Just like any surgery there can be a few complications, including:

• Severe pain
• Infection
• Excessive bleeding
• Pneumonic embolism (blood clump in the lungs)
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Discomfort while urinating
• Damage to the rectum/entrail/bladder/uterus
• Scarring and shortening of the vagina
• Vaginal prolapse