What is surgery for pelvic prolapse?
Your pelvic muscles hold your pelvic organs in place. If they become weak, your uterus, bowel, or bladder may press against your vagina. This is called a pelvic prolapse. Surgery puts your organ back in place. It also adds support to your muscles.
You will be asleep during the surgery. You will not feel pain. The doctor can do the surgery in several ways. In open surgery, the doctor makes a cut in your belly. The cut is called an incision. In laparoscopic surgery, the doctor puts a lighted tube and other surgical tools through small incisions near your belly button and groin. This tube is called a scope. It lets the doctor see your organs. Surgery can also be done through the vagina. With vaginal surgery, the doctor makes a small cut in the vagina instead of the belly.
If you have open surgery, you will go home in 1 to 4 days. It usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover. If you have vaginal or laparoscopic surgery, you may go home the day of surgery or in 1 or 2 days. It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to fully recover. At home, you may need to wear a catheter. This is a tube in your bladder. It carries urine out of your body.
After surgery, you may have less pain during sex. The surgery may also help with any bladder or bowel problems you may have had. If you still have your uterus, your ability to get pregnant will not be affected.
How do you prepare for surgery?
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
Preparing for surgery
- You may need to take a laxative or enema before surgery. Your doctor will tell you how to do this.
- Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
- Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
- If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if you should stop taking it before your surgery. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do. These medicines increase the risk of bleeding.
- Tell your doctor ALL the medicines and natural health products you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
- Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance care plan. If you don't have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It's a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter G789 in the search box to learn more about "Pelvic Prolapse: Before Your Surgery".
