Treatment of rectal prolapse by Delorme's operation

Rectopexy in the sacral hollow or to the promontory with synthetic material is the most efficient method of reducing and fixing a complete rectal prolapse. However, this distressing condition occurs frequently in elderly patients, often with high operative risk. In these some surgeons have advocated a perineal approach. Eighteen female patients (mean age 74 years) with complete rectal prolapse have been treated by a modified Delorme's procedure which involves a mucosal stripping of the prolapse and longitudinal plication of the muscular wall of the rectum. There was no postoperative mortality or morbidity. After a mean follow-up of 18 months, two complete recurrences occurred. These were treated by the same technique with a good result at 3 years. One other patient presented a partial and intermittent recurrence. Incontinence has improved in four patients and was not made worse in the others. Our results and those previously published show that this procedure is safe in elderly high risk patients considered too unfit for transabdominal surgery.