Phishing Email May Have Impacted Personal Information for Some. Learn More
Anterior colporrhaphy is a procedure commonly performed to correct a cystocele, a condition where the bladder falls into the pelvic area (also commonly called “dropped bladder”). Although it can be performed alone, anterior colporrhaphy is often combined with additional procedures to correct all areas of vaginal prolapse.
A cystocele occurs when the tissues around the bladder weaken – often from heavy lifting, vaginal delivery, age or certain diseases. When a cystocele forms, you may feel pressure or bulging in your vagina. Occasionally, it can also affect the way your bladder empties.
First, your provider makes an incision (cut) into the anterior (front) wall of the vagina to identify areas of weakness. Then, sutures are placed to strengthen the vaginal tissues that support the bladder. Excess vaginal skin can be removed, before closing the incision with absorbable sutures (stitches that dissolve).
Before your procedure, you may be asked to do bladder testing called urodynamic testing. You’ll also attend a preoperative visit where you’ll talk about what to expect and undergo basic lab work. If you need surgical clearance, you’ll be asked to obtain this before surgery.
Anterior colporrhaphy takes about 45 minutes to perform. If it’s the only procedure you’re receiving, you can go home and recover that day. However, if you’re undergoing other prolapse procedures, you may need to stay in the hospital overnight.
You can expect some activity restrictions for about 6 weeks, but many patients can return to normal activity shortly after anterior colporrhaphy. Activity restrictions include:
The risk of complications from an anterior colporrhaphy is typically very low. Like with any procedure, there is the risk of anesthesia problems, pain, bleeding, infection, blood clots and damage to nearby organs, but these are incredibly rare. There is always a risk of recurrent prolapse.
Check your insurance plan benefits to see if your policy covers an anterior colporrhaphy. If it does, our office will help you get prior authorization if your insurance policy requires it. If you have further questions, contact your insurance carrier.