Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery

What is pelvic reconstructive surgery?

Pelvic reconstructive surgery can be performed by skilled gynaecologists, like Dr. Remi Adelasoye, on women who experience pelvic floor disorders. Reconstructive surgery aims to rebuild the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is the structure that includes ligaments, muscles, nerves and connective tissues that support and control the functionality of your pelvic organs. For women, this includes the uterus, vagina, bladder and rectum.

What are pelvic floor disorders?

Common pelvic floor disorders include:

  • pelvic organ prolapse (POP), when one of your pelvic organs prolapses into the wall of the vagina
  • urinary incontinence
  • bowel issues

These disorders can all weaken your pelvic floor and cause it to work improperly. 1 in 5 women will need surgery to treat a pelvic disorder in their lifetime. For women in Campbell River, British Columbia and the surrounding areas, Dr. Adelasoye can provide the proper care and treatment. Dr. Adelasoye performs reconstructive surgery at North Island Hospital, where he has full hospital privileges.

What are the different kinds of pelvic organ prolapse?

There are many types of prolapse that have different names depending on the part of the body that has dropped:

  • cystocele occurs when the bladder drops into the vagina
  • enterocele occurs when the small intestine bulges into the vagina
  • rectocele occurs when the rectum bulges into the vagina
  • vaginal vault prolapse occurs when the top of the vagina loses its support and drop

The symptoms of POP include:

  • feelings of pressure or fullness in the pelvic area
  • backaches in the lower part of the back
  • painful intercourse
  • urinary incontinence
  • a feeling that something is falling out of the vagina

What are the different types of reconstructive surgery?

The goal of reconstructive surgery is to restore the pelvic organs to their original position. Reconstructive surgery is performed through an incision in the vagina, abdomen or with laparoscopy (2 or 3 small incisions are made in the abdomen, and a long, thin instrument is inserted to view the internal structures). The types of pelvic reconstructive surgery include:

  • native tissue repair, which is used to treat uterine or vaginal vault prolapse. The procedure is performed through the vagina and the prolapsed part is attached with stitches to a ligament or to a muscle in the pelvis.
  • colporrhaphy, which is used to treat prolapse of the front (anterior) and back (posterior) walls of the vagina. The procedure is performed through the vagina and stitches are used to strengthen the vagina so that it can once again support the bladder or rectum.
  • sacrocolpopexy, which is used to treat enterocele and vaginal vault prolapse. The procedure can be done with an abdominal incision or with laparoscopy. During the procedure, the vagina is lifted back into place.

Pelvic reconstructive surgery in Campbell River, British Columbia

Dr. Adelasoye performs pelvic reconstructive surgery at North Island Hospital in Campbell River, British Columbia, where he has full hospital privileges. If you are experiencing the symptoms associated with POP, please get a referral to Dr. Adelasoye, as we are a referral-only practice. You can reach our office by phone at (778) 346-4000.