Why does anal prolapse occur_Why does anal prolapse occur

Rectal prolapse is a common disease, but many people are often embarrassed to mention it. Some people tend to confuse rectal prolapse with hemorrhoids. In fact, there is a difference between rectal prolapse and hemorrhoids. Rectal prolapse is a more serious disease. If it is not treated in time, it will cause serious complications and will also have a great impact on our daily life and work. Active treatment of rectal prolapse is very important. Why does rectal prolapse occur?

Why does anal prolapse occur?

The cause of the disease is not yet fully understood, but the following factors are related to the disease.

1. Anatomical factors

In children with sacrococcygeal elevation, the rectum is vertical, intra-abdominal pressure is present, and rectal prolapse is lacking support. The peritoneum of the rectal fossa is folded low, and the pressure in the abdominal cavity and the intestinal loops of the anterior rectal wall compress the ampulla of the rectum, causing rectal prolapse. Rectal prolapse can also occur in the elderly due to muscle relaxation and perineal tearing during labor or delivery.

2. Increased intra-abdominal pressure

Long-term constipation, diarrhea, chronic cough and difficulty urinating can cause increased intra-abdominal pressure and lead to rectal prolapse. In recent years, foreign studies have found that rectal prolapse is often accompanied by mental or neurological diseases. The relationship between the two is still unclear. Some people believe that when the nervous system is diseased, the function of controlling and regulating defecation is impaired, the rectum is chronically dilated, and the sensitivity to fecal stimulation is reduced, resulting in constipation and a decreased ability to control defecation. Abnormal force during defecation weakens the function of the anal levator muscles and pelvic floor tissues, which is also a common cause of rectal prolapse.

3. Systemic factors

In malnourished children, the fat in the ischiorectal fossa disappears, causing the rectum to lose its surrounding support and fixation, and the contraction force of the sphincter group is also weakened, making the rectum easily prolapsed from the anus.

4. Local tissue anatomical factors

① The sacral curvature has not been formed. The pelvis of infants and young children is not tilted forward enough, and the rectum and anal canal are in a vertical position and in a straight line. The pressure in the abdominal cavity increases, and the rectum has no support from the sacrum, so the pressure is directly on the anal canal, making it easy to slide down.

② The surrounding muscle support is weak, and the support of the anal levator muscles and pelvic floor muscles is relatively weak.

③ Mucosal relaxation: the rectal mucosa is loosely attached to the muscular layer, and the mucosa can easily slip off the muscular layer.

5. Contributing factors

Any situation that causes a long-term or sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure can lead to rectal prolapse. Diseases such as frequent constipation, diarrhea, whooping cough, phimosis, bladder stones, and long-term chronic cough are often the causes of rectal prolapse. Some diseases such as lumbar myelomeningocele or injuries including accidental and surgical injuries that cause sphincter and perirectal muscle or nerve dysfunction can cause the rectum to lose support and abdominal pressure to increase, resulting in rectal prolapse.

6. Others

Surgical trauma causes lumbar sacral nerve paralysis, anal sphincter relaxation, and rectal mucosal prolapse.