Vaginal Prolapse

Vaginal prolapse is when the muscles at the top of your vagina become weak, causing your birth canal to fall from its normal position in your body and creating the sensation of a lump or bulge. People who have had a hysterectomy are at increased risk of vaginal prolapse.

How is vaginal prolapse diagnosed and treated?

Vaginal prolapse can be diagnosed during a routine pelvic exam by your Hoag gynecologist. Vaginal prolapse can be treated with:

• Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegel exercises.

• Pelvic floor physical therapy.

• Vaginal pessary, a device that sits in your vagina, acting as a support structure.

• Vaginal vault suspension surgery, in which a surgeon will attach your vagina to the ligaments inside your pelvis that are used to hold it up

• Robotic-assisted sacrocolpopexy, which involves attaching a piece of mesh to your vagina and securing the mesh to your tailbone to give the vagina a lift.

• Colpocleisis, a surgical procedure that involves shortening the length of the vaginal canal. This procedure should only be considered if you do not want to have penetrative sex again.