What to expect from colpocleisis:
Colpocleisis is a very common medical condition. There are many different kinds of colpocleisis.
Some types are more dangerous than others. You have been warned!
The most common type of colpocleis is rectosigmoiditis (RTH). RTH is caused by bacteria in your throat, which cause inflammation and pain when you cough or sneeze.
RTH is usually not life threatening, but it may lead to other problems such as pneumonia.
Another kind of colpocleisis is colposcopiculosis (CCP), which is a rare disease that affects the small intestine. CCP causes diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
It’s very difficult to treat, and its cure isn’t known yet. If left untreated, CCP can cause death.
A third kind of colpocleisis is colpocephaly (CPO) which is a rare disorder that occurs only in children. CPO causes severe malnutrition and dehydration.
Children with CPO often die within days after birth.
There are also other less common types of colpocleisis, but they’re extremely uncommon and there’s no way to tell if you’ve got them until it’s too late.
How to prevent colpocleisis:
There are several steps you can take to prevent colpocleisis. First, you should always wash your hands before eating and cooking.
This will remove most of the harmful bacteria that can cause colpocleisis. Also, if you are prone to having allergies or a lot of colds, especially during the colder months, you should see an ear nose and throat doctor for a checkup every 6 months.
Getting the flu vaccine every year can also prevent colpocleisis. This vaccine can protect you against the influenza virus, which is the main cause of colpocleisis.
However, getting the vaccine every year is not foolproof, and it doesn’t always work. It’s best to get the vaccine, but if you don’t get it one year don’t worry too much, just try to remember to get it next year.
Diet can also affect your risk for colpocleisis. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can strengthen your immune system, and help prevent colpocleisis.
Finally, if you do get the flu, it is important to remember that while most people get over the flu in about a week, it is important to see a doctor just to be safe. This is especially important for the elderly, or people with compromised immune systems.
Another preventative measure is to wash your hands. Most of the time, people touch things like doorknobs and money, and these things carry harmful bacteria.
By washing your hands, you can lower your chance of getting sick.
Preventing colpocleisis is very important, because if you get it you could be in danger. Some people who have colpocleisis need immediate medical attention.
If you ever feel like you’re getting sick, see a doctor right away.
If you do get colpocleisis, there are treatments that can help. However, these treatments can be expensive and not all doctors can provide them.
If you aren’t able to pay for the treatment, don’t worry because the American Medical Association is helping to make treatments cheaper (and sometimes free) for people who can’t afford them.
Colpocleisis can be serious, but with the right preventative steps and treatment, most people can overcome colpocleisis and lead long, healthy lives.
What is colpocleisis?
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Colpocleisis is a disease that affects your colon (also called the large intestine). Your colon is where the food you eat gets broken down into waste before leaving your body.
If you have colpocleisis, then something in your colon isn’t working right, and waste products start building up inside of it. Over a long period of time, this causes the walls of your colon to become thick and stiff. In some cases, these excess waste products can even cause holes in the colon wall (describes as “perforations”).
Most of the time, colpocleisis develops slowly over many years. This is why, even if you have the disease, it might take a doctor a long time to correctly diagnose it.
Many other problems that cause symptoms like colpocleisis can only be found by doing tests like colonoscopies and barium enemas. However, your doctor might not think to do these tests, especially if the disease develops slowly over many years. This is why it’s so important that you tell any doctor about any illness or symptom you have.
For some people, colpocleisis can develop suddenly after an injury to the abdomen. This is called traumatic colpocleisis.
A famous example is when John F. Kennedy got a wound in his belly from an assassin’s bullet. After the assassination, some people thought the bullet might have gone through his colon, but records showed that it had not. However, years later (in 1963), he developed colpocleisis.
Colpocleisis can also be a complication of other diseases and conditions. For example, ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes parts of the colon to become inflamed and sore.
If left untreated, this could develop into colpocleisis. Other conditions that can lead to colpocleisis are long-term (chronic) infections in the abdomen, such as with hepatitis B and liver flukes.
The disease is also more common among people who use cocaine. It can even be a side effect of some medicines.
This is why your doctor should check you for colpocleisis any time you start a new medication or if you complain of abdominal pain, even if no other symptoms are present.
Symptoms of colpocleisis [ edit ]
Colpocleisis primarily causes abdominal (belly) pain and persistent diarrhea. You might have a lot of mucus in your stool, which is also known as mucoid stool .
Other times, you might not have any stool at all and your stool can just contain liquid. This is a condition known as fecal impaction . Fecal impaction is common in colpocleisis because hard pieces of stool get stuck within the diseased colon. As a result, liquid waste leaks around the large stool pieces and leaks out into the rest of the abdomen. This often causes severe belly (or belly pain) and diarrhea.
The mucus and liquid stool can cause a large swelling in the abdomen, called a bowel bomb. A bowel bomb is a large swelling within the abdomen that causes severe belly pain.
When this happens, you might feel like:
Your belly is hard to the touch A “popping” or “exploding” feeling inside Your belly
Sometimes, people mistake these symptoms for ruptured appendix or other conditions. It’s important that you tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
Some people with colpocleisis also have other bowel problems. For example, some people get constipation instead of diarrhea.
Some people have an alternating cycle of diarrhea and constipation, a condition called alternation .
Other symptoms often include heartburn (a burning sensation in the chest), vomiting, loss of appetite, and unintentional weight loss.
All of these symptoms can make you feel really sick.
Not everyone with this disease has all of these symptoms. Colpocleisis can affect different people in different ways.
If you experience any of these symptoms and you suspect that you might have colpocleisis, see your doctor or head to the emergency room as soon as possible.
The causes of colpocleisis are not known. It is likely caused by a combination of genetics and a person’s environment.
Sometimes, colpocleisis can run in families. This means if someone else in your family has had it, you may be more likely to get it as well.
In other cases, people seem to get it for no known reason.
As of now, there is no cure for colpocleisis. Treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms and preventing complications.
Your doctor may prescribe drugs to help control your diarrhea and mucus discharge. If you are experiencing serious bowel problems, you may need surgery to remove the diseased part of your colon.
The disease can last from a few weeks to many years. In some cases, the disease can be slow to progress, staying within the colon for many years.
In other cases, the disease can quickly spread to the rest of the large intestine and rectum.
Your doctor can do tests to determine how bad the damage is. These may include a colonoscopy and an upper GI series.
In some cases, your doctor might send you to a genetics counselor or a gastroenterologist. A genetics counselor can help you determine if you or anyone else in your family has had colpocleisis or another inherited gastrointestinal condition.
An gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of diseases of the stomach and intestines.
If you have this disease, the most important thing you can do is tell your doctor immediately if you notice any changes in your health.
The best way to deal with this disease is to stay optimistic and take things one day at a time. The most important thing you can do is tell your doctor immediately if you notice any changes in your health.
When the damage is in the rectum and you have diarrhea, you may need to wear incontinence pads.
When the rectum is damaged, stool leakage may occur. Stool leakage can cause pain and rashes on the skin around your bottom.
You can prevent these by always wearing incontinence pads and changing them frequently.
You may have less appetite and feel nauseous. Some people have to go to the bathroom more than once a day.
You might lose weight and feel generally unwell.
If you are experiencing any of these problems, it is important that you see your doctor immediately. If the disease is not treated, more serious complications can develop, including a potentially life-threatening bowel obstruction.
With prompt treatment, most people with colpocleisis can have a long and healthy life.
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Sources & references used in this article:
Partial colpocleisis by CF Langmade, JA Oliver – American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1986 – ajog.org
Obliterative LeFort colpocleisis in a large group of elderly women by S Zebede, AL Smith, LN Plowright… – Obstetrics & …, 2013 – cdn.journals.lww.com
Long-term quality of life, satisfaction, pelvic floor symptoms and regret after colpocleisis by A Katsara, E Wight, V Heinzelmann-Schwarz… – Archives of gynecology …, 2016 – Springer
Surgical repair of recurrent prolapse after LeFort colpocleisis by KA Hoskey, SH Shippey, VL Handa – International urogynecology journal, 2012 – Springer
Minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of endometrial cancer after LeFort colpocleisis by O Harmanli, H Celik, KA Jones, P Yadav… – … pelvic medicine & …, 2013 – journals.lww.com
Colpocleisis by DD Rahn – Native Tissue Repair for Incontinence and Prolapse, 2017 – Springer
Colpocleisis: Current Practice and Complications by L Lowenstein, S Erisson – Complications of Female Incontinence and …, 2013 – Springer
Modified partial colpocleisis of Kahr in the treatment of various degrees of uterine prolapse in the elderly with prohibitive anaesthetic risk: an alternative to ring … by PJ Bartos – 1989 – open.uct.ac.za
