Nurullah BILEN, Alper AYTEKIN, Latif YILMAZ, Aziz BULUT, Huseyin GARIP, Ilyas BASKONUS
European Journal of Therapeutics - 2026;32(2):147-153
Objective: Rectal prolapse is the condition where the rectum, the final part of the large intestine, descends and protrudes through the anus, involving all its layers. It is known to be more common in women. Rectal prolapse can occur due to increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by obesity, pregnancy, chronic constipation, or perineal injury. It can also be observed in children with congenital defects in the pelvic connective tissues or perianal sphincter muscles. Methods: The data of a total of 35 patients, both male and female, who underwent surgery for rectal prolapse between 2013 and 2021 at the General Surgery Clinic of Gaziantep University Medical Faculty, were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were classified as Stage 3 (true rectal prolapse) according to the grading system for rectal prolapse by Altemeier et al. Results: A total of 35 patients underwent surgery. The mean age of the patients was 51.37 +/- 12.86 years. Of the operated patients, 19 (54%) were female and 16 (46%) were male. The mean body mass index of our patients was 26.1 kg/m². The incontinence complaints of the patients at the time of admission were evaluated according to the Boutsis-Ellis criteria. Considering these criteria, postoperatively, Stage 1 incontinence persisted in 5 patients (15%), and Stage 2 incontinence persisted in one patient. Recurrent rectal prolapse was observed in one patient (2.8%) three years after undergoing the Altemeier procedure. The average hospital stay for the patients was 3.8 days. No mortality or morbidity related to these surgeries was observed in any of our patients. None of the 16 male patients who underwent surgery developed complications such as impotence in the short or long term. Conclusion: In patients planned for surgical treatment due to rectal prolapse, the choice of surgical method should be made considering the surgeon's experience as well as the patient's overall condition. Perineal approaches may be attempted in frail elderly patients and young male patients. More extensive, multicenter studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of these methods.
