[Delorme's operation in the treatment of rectal prolapse]

The Delorme operation for complete rectal prolapse is a mucosal stripping and longitudinal plication of the muscular wall of the rectum. It is a safe and easy procedure using peridural or local anesthesia with no post-operative morbidity or mortality. In the largest series published, the recurrence rate was 10 per cent. In our view, this operation, superior to the Thiersch procedure, is mainly recommended for elderly and poor risk patients who are unsuitable for a transabdominal approach.