Rectocele (Bowel Prolapse)

What Is It?

A rectocele is a type of bowel prolapse in which the tissue between the rectum and the vagina weakens, causing the rectum to bulge into the back wall of the vagina. The rectum is the lower part of the large intestine. Both the rectum and the vagina are held in place by the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis known as the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor muscles support the bowels from below like a hammock. When the pelvic floor muscles weaken, these organs can shift and even drop onto each other. A rectocele is a form of pelvic organ prolapse, a condition in which organs sag because of a weak pelvic floor.