Rectal prolapse treatment in elderly patients

Background Rectal prolapse in elderly patients can cause considerable discomfort causing bleeding, itching, wet anus and tenesm. In older patients the gold standard treatment uses a perineal approach. Success obtained by using circular staplers in the treatment of internal prolapses, associated or not with haemorroids or obstructed defecation, may represent a new method of choice if applied with the appropriate modifications, to the external rectal prolapse, for its speed, simplicity and possibility to be performed under local anesthesia, and even in elderly patients with debilitated conditions.