What is colporrhaphy?

Colporrhaphy is a surgical procedure used for people with vaginal wall prolapse, a type of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). With pelvic organ prolapse, the organs inside your pelvis sag because the supporting muscles and tissues in your vaginal wall have weakened. Colporrhaphy strengthens these muscles and tissues to help them better support pelvic organs, like the bladder and rectum.

Colporrhaphy is a minimally invasive surgery. During a colporrhaphy, your surgeon strengthens your vaginal walls, helping alleviate symptoms such as difficulty with bowel movements, problems urinating, discomfort and other symptoms that may be impacting your life.

colporrhaphy patient outdoors enjoying a game of basketball with their husband

Types of colporrhaphy

There are two types of colporrhaphy, and your provider may perform one or both, often in combination with other procedures, to repair vaginal wall defects.

Why might I need colporrhaphy surgery?

Your OBGYN or urogynecologist may recommend a colporrhaphy if your prolapse symptoms significantly impact your quality of life. Vaginal wall prolapse can lead to symptoms such as bladder or bowel control problems and pain during sex (dyspareunia).

Colporrhaphy is also a next-step treatment if nonsurgical options, such as pelvic floor physical therapy, estrogen creams and pessaries, haven’t helped your symptoms.

If you still want to have children, talk to your healthcare team about the pros and cons of colporrhaphy. Having a vaginal birth after the procedure may cause a return of your symptoms. But a cesarean section may be an option depending on your current health and other factors.

How to prepare for colporrhaphy

In the days or weeks before your surgery, you will have medical appointments that include a pelvic exam, so your provider knows where the weaknesses are in your vaginal walls and can plan your surgery.

Colporrhaphy is less invasive than other types of pelvic organ prolapse repair, but it is still a major surgery. Depending on your prolapse, you may have an outpatient surgery when you can go home the same day, or stay in the hospital overnight. In both cases, arrange for someone to drive you to the facility on the day of your surgery and home.

Ask you doctor

As you prepare for the procedure, talk to your surgical team about the following:

  • Whether you need to take off work and, if so, for how long
  • Whether you will have general anesthesia, where you’ll be asleep, or local anesthesia, where you will be awake but unable to feel anything
  • Whether you need to stop or start taking medications in the days leading up to your procedure
  • How long you can expect full recovery to take

The colporrhaphy procedure

During a colporrhaphy, your surgeons will move your bladder or rectum back into place and strengthen the vaginal walls to prevent the organs from prolapsing again. The length of time of the procedure will depend on how complex the surgery is.  

Before the procedure

Your medical team will tell you when to arrive for your procedure. They may also ask you to avoid eating or drinking for six to 12 hours beforehand. You may receive a single-dose antibiotic on the day of the procedure to reduce your risk of infection.

Understanding the outcomes

Many people experience relief from their symptoms after colporrhaphy, and the results generally last for years.

Rectocele repair has high success rates. However, there is a chance that prolapse can return, particularly with anterior repair. You may also experience weakening in another area of the vaginal wall and need another vaginal prolapse repair procedure.

Talk to your provider if you experience side effects, including pain during sex and urinary incontinence, that can occur after colporrhaphy. Your provider can give you medications. You may also benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy and other treatments to help you manage these new conditions.

patient and doctor talking about colporrhaphy outcomes