This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Rectal prolapse

Authoring team

Rectal prolapse is a condition where layers of the rectal wall protrude through the anal canal (beyond the anal verge).

  • the condition has been described in Ebers Papyrus as early as 1500 BC.
  • a rectal wall prolapse which does not protrude through the anus is known as internal rectal prolapse or rectal intussusception (1,2,3)

Rectal prolapse can be divided into:

  • partial/mucosal - only the mucosa and submucosa protrude
  • complete/full thickness/procidentia - full-thickness protrusion of all layers of rectum through the anal canal into the external environment (1,2)

Annual incidence of the condition is around 2.5 per 100,000 individuals.

  • occurs in two main groups
    • the elderly
      • it is commonly seen among adults ages 50 to 89years
        • an epidemiological study reported that 87% of patients were older than 50 years
      • women are 6 times more likely to develop rectal prolapse after the age of 50 years
      • men with rectal prolapse tend to be younger e.g - younger than 40 years
    • infants and children
      • occurs typically before the age of 3 years
      • majority occurs during the first year of life
      • females and males are affected equally
      • prolapse is usually mucosal (1)

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.