Overt rectal prolapse following repair of stage IV vaginal vault prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse is an increasingly common problem as women are living longer. With the growing numbers of surgeries performed to correct this problem, further research is needed to understand the long-term success as well as possible complications of these procedures. One potential complication that needs further study is de novo rectal prolapse after repair of pelvic organ prolapse, specifically after colpocleisis. Defacography may be an important part of the preoperative workup in the patient with pelvic organ prolapse. Currently, there is a controversy as to whether internal, or occult, rectal prolapse on defacography should be repaired at the time of other pelvic reconstructive surgery. We report on a case of overt rectal prolapse after repair of Stage IV vaginal vault prolapse with a colpocleisis, levator ani plication, and a minimally invasive midurethral sling. We discuss the issues surrounding preoperative management of these patients and propose a theory explaining why prolapse in other areas of the pelvis may occur after reconstructive surgery.