Abdominal suture proctopexy for complete prolapse of rectum

Eighteen patients, 13 males and 5 females, with complete rectal prolapse have been treated by suture proctopexy during the period 1987-1989 with no operative mortality and very little morbidity. There was only one case of recurrence during a 3-year follow-up for which a repeat identical procedure was successful. There was some disturbance in faecal continence pre-operatively in 14 cases, of whom, 13 cases were improved by suture proctopexy. There was no significant change in bowel habit postoperatively, with the exception of 2 patients who had constipation postoperatively but one reverted to normal on re-education of bowel habit. All the patients had normal urinary and sexual function. This relatively simple procedure was well tolerated by the patients.