Colpolsuspension Surgery Abroad

Women who have experienced pregnancy and childbirth, engaged in heavy lifting or suffered with a chronic cough or persistent constipation may find themselves with a loss in the strength of the muscles supporting their pelvic floor.

A weakened pelvic floor in the female body can present the sufferer with a form of mild incontinence where certain physical actions or activities such as running, laughing or coughing, can cause the bladder to leak small amounts of urine. The condition is not deemed dangerous but can be highly uncomfortable for the sufferer, as well as inconvenient and potentially embarrassing.

Initially, patients with such symptoms and diagnosed with a weak pelvic floor will be encouraged to try strengthening exercises which can be performed easily in the privacy of their home. If this does not address the problem then doctors may suggest a procedure known as colposuspension.

Procedure information

The colposuspension procedure is performed under a general anesthetic and involves a surgeon gaining access to the appropriate area via a lower transverse incision, which is made across the stomach just above the pubic hairline. The surgeon then stitches the neck of the bladder to the back of the pubic bone before closing up the opening in the abdomen.

The procedure is only complete when the surgeon has examined the bladder for injury by means of a medical telescope inserted through the opening, which expels urine. Typically the entire operation takes from 45 minutes to an hour.

Recovery time

Patients are expected to remain in the hospital for three to four days and are only discharged provided they can pass urine without difficulty. Once home, patients are advised to rest to give the affected area time to heal. Physical activity should be avoided for the first two weeks then kept as light as possible for the following two weeks. For up to six weeks after the colposuspension procedure, it is recommended to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity including the playing of sport.