rectal prolapse

Hi everyone. so I am posting this to get any advice or suggestions anyone might have. I had a lot of GI issues as a child and suffered a rectal prolapse as a baby. I was diagnosed as "failure to thrive" and initially with cystic fibrosis (they did not have genetic testing back then). I failed a sweat test but later passed. I know now that I am a carrier of the cystic fibrosis gene.

I also have common variable hypogammglobulanemia (low IGg and IGa) and get monthly infusions of IV IG for my immune system.


I have also been diagnosed with severe endometriosis and had a hysterectomy at age 37.

Here is the prolapse stuff:

I began suffering chronic constipation in 2003 and after much testing it was determined that I had a mechanical obstruction. Part of the sigmoid colon was flopping over on itself when i tried to go, preventing me from going. I had a sigmoid resection that was completely useless in solving my difficulties.

after 3 years of further pain, hospitalizations and testing, I was diagnosed with colonic inertia in 2006 and had a subtotal colectomy (surgeon attached rectum to small intestine). Outside of increased frequency in going to the bathroom I had been doing very well until 8/13.

This past august my rectal prolapse (which I had not really had since childhood) recurred. It was a full thickness prolapse and I had an open rectopexy in August 2013.

By December 2013 the prolapse had returned. The surgeon felt strongly that it could only be a mucosal prolapse given the earlier rectopexy. She decided to do a banding procedure (much like they do for hemmoroids). This was totally ineffective and less then a month later I was in the ER with a prolapse that i was unable to reduce myself. My surgeon met me in the ER and after a great deal of pain medication and using sugar to absorb some of the fluid, the tissue shrunk enough that my surgeon was able to finally get it back in. I saw her in the office the following week and she indicated that she believed our best option was a delorme procedure (basically a tummy tuck for your rectum). she felt most of the prolapse was still mucosal but that the delorme would capture any remaining full thickness prolapse as well.

Well guess what.....as of last week I began prolapsing again. Horrific pain. Larger prolapse than ever before. every time I go. met with surgeon and she said last option is ilieostomy. However, before she would consider doing something that drastic she wanted me to get a second opinion with a fresh set of eyes. Thought maybe someone might see something she is not or think of something to help me that she just can't find right now.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had recurrent rectal prolapse even after surgery and what was done about it. at this point, I think it might actually be the small intestine coming down and out rather than the rectum....

any thoughts or stories or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm beginning to wonder if there might be some underlying condition or disease that would explain all my problems from childhood on...the GI issues, the prolapses, the immune system deficiencies, the endometriosis etc.

I've tried researching rare autoimmune disorders but nothing seems to fit.....

Windy City,

Thank you so much for your response. I was a little surprised at the number of views but lack of comments or suggestions! :) The surgeon I see next week is a colorectal surgeon and specialist in pelvic floor dysfunction. I have had biofeedback and pelvic floor physical therapy on numerous occasions since my difficulties began in 2003 to no avail.

I'll have to look into and ask about the autonomic neuropathic prospect. that is a good idea.

I will also look at other boards for more ideas and thoughts.

thank you again so so much for your thoughts and response.

Hi chronicgiprobs - are you still around? Looks like I , too, may have rectal prolapse and would love to find an alternative to surgery if possible. Hope you are doing well