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Vaginal Prolapse Surgery in Charlottesville, VA
Improve your vaginal health today.
What is Vaginal Prolapse Surgery?
Vaginal prolapse surgery is a procedure used to fix the walls of the vagina when they have moved out of their normal positions and are sticking into the vaginal canal or even outside of it. This occurs when the muscles and connective tissues that hold the walls in place become weak. Vaginal prolapse surgery involves restoring the walls to their normal position as well as the organs behind these walls (the bladder, rectum, or the uterus) providing you with symptom relief and restoring functionality.
Vaginal prolapse surgery often includes one or more specific procedures such as uterine suspension (a surgical method to elevate and secure the uterus to the pelvic wall to correct its position), anterior and posterior colporrhaphy (surgical repair of the front and back walls of the vagina), or a perineorrhaphy (correcting laxity in the vaginal entrance).
Why is Vaginal Prolapse Surgery Performed?
Vaginal prolapse surgery is performed to treat “pelvic organ prolapse” and its associated discomforts, including:
- Urinary incontinence
- Incomplete bladder emptying
- Pelvic pain
- Pelvic pressure
- Sensation of an object in the vagina
- Difficulty emptying your bowels
- Interference with sexual function
Who Needs Vaginal Prolapse Surgery?
You might need vaginal prolapse surgery if you have:
- Pelvic pressure and discomfort
- Significant pelvic floor muscle weakness
- Urinary issues, such as frequent urination or incomplete bladder emptying
- Difficulty with bowel movements
- Sensation of a bulge in the vagina
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Tried non-surgical treatments without any symptom relief
What are the Risks?
While vaginal prolapse surgery is generally safe, it does carry some risks, such as infection, bleeding, damage to nearby pelvic organs, recurrence of prolapse, and alteration to the function of your bladder or bowels.. Your doctor will discuss the potential risks with you during your consultation.
What To Expect
If you are determined to be a candidate for vaginal prolapse surgery, your doctor will discuss with you the different surgical options available, focusing on what best suits your specific condition.
The surgery might involve more than one technique to secure your pelvic organs and reinforce the vaginal tissues. There is downtime after the surgery, and it typically takes patients several weeks to recover. Your doctor will provide you with specific post-care instructions to help you make a full recovery.
Surgery will be discussed along with non-surgical options for managing symptoms of vaginal/pelvic organ prolapse.
Why Choose The Center For Advanced Gynecology
The Center for Advanced Gynecology, established in 2018, is dedicated to improving your health by offering expertise in various areas, including vaginal prolapse, with a specific focus on gynecological care and advanced surgical techniques when surgery is needed.
Our team provides specialized expertise in non-surgical treatment of chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, pudendal neuralgia, and vaginal, vulvar, and bladder pain.
Since opening our doors, we have recognized the need in our community for more than just specialty care and have a growing practice in routine gynecologic care, cancer screening, Pap smears, menopausal management, hormonal imbalances, hormone replacement therapy, breast care, contraceptive care, urinary incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the time patients can go home the day of their surgery.
Yes, to help prevent the recurrence of prolapse, it's important to maintain a healthy weight, avoid heavy lifting, and perform pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles. Your doctor will provide you with specific post-care instructions, including any exercises if needed.
While vaginal prolapse surgery can affect your sexual function, many patients report improved sexual function after recovery due to the alleviation of discomfort and other symptoms initially caused by the prolapse.
Pelvic organ prolapse surgery is a more general term that involves repairing any of the pelvic organs that have prolapsed (the bladder, rectum, or uterus). Vaginal prolapse surgery specifically focuses on correcting issues within the vaginal canal itself, often involving the repair or reconstruction of the vaginal tissues.