RESUMO
Rectal prolapse is protrusion of the rectum throuhg the anal sphincter. If the protrusion is made up to the entire thickness of the rectal wall, it constitutes a complete prolapse; is called partial, incomplete or mucosal. Rectal prolapse was described in the Ebers Papyrus, 1500 years B.C. is an uncommon pathology frequently incapacitating, and many aspects are still ignored. Complete rectal prolapse predominantly affects adults and usually is associated to fecal incontinence, but also can affect children, generally before five years of age. Rectal prolapse is several times more common in women than in men. The symptoms that patients with complete rectal prolapse present are the actual prolapse itself, with fecal incontinence and altertion of bowel habits. Numerous procedures are available to treat complete rectal prolapse, which can be done through the abdominal or the perineal approaches. Before subjecting these patients to surgery, they should be carefully evaluated to select the surgical procedure to be used. Abdominal procedures are the most usually used and offer beter results. The numerous surgical procedures by the abdominal approach can be synthesized as follows: the Orr procedure or lateral fixation, the Muir procedure (resection without fixation), Dissection of the sigmoid with sacral fixation (Frykmann & Goldberg), De Wells procedure or posterior fixation. The anterior rectopexy or the Ripstein procedure is the preferred technique, especially in the U.S.A., and shows good results; the Ripstein procedure consists in mobilization of the rectum down to the elevator ani muscles. The rectum is fixed to the sacral cavity by means of a piece of Marlex mesh which surrounds the anterior and lateral rectal walls.