Three options for treatment are available for a woman who does not want to live with a pelvic floor prolapse. The first is pelvic floor muscle exercises. These can be done on one’s own or with a physical therapist who can help direct the effort for the best outcome. The exercise regimen has to be maintained in order to continue to benefit from the results. A highly motivated patient can do exceedingly well with pelvic floor muscle exercises.
The second option is a pessary which is a rubber ring that can be inserted into the vagina to support the organ that has collapsed. Pessaries work best in women who have either bladder or uterine prolapse. They do not work very well in prolapse of the small bowel or rectum into the vagina. Pessaries come in different shapes and sizes. A practitioner will fit the pessary to the patient. Patients can be taught to manage certain types of pessaries on their own; others have to be cleaned by a professional every three months.
The third option is surgery. Surgical intervention for pelvic floor prolapse is highly successful. The surgical approach can be either vaginal or abdominal. Abdominal surgeries usually involve the use of the robot. Both options result in excellent results and safe outcomes. Reinforcing materials to help support the pelvic organs are often used. These materials run the gamut from native tissue obtained from the patient to materials harvested from cadavers or animals to synthetic mesh similar to the materials used in hernia repairs. Different techniques are available, if you would like to learn more about the different treatment options for pelvic floor prolapse, please call our office or press the "Book Online" button to make an appointment to see one of our physicians.
