Prolapsed Bladder (Cystocele)

You don't need to keep living with a fallen bladder or prolapsed bladder. At Rush, we can repair your cystocele, a type of pelvic organ prolapse, with surgery.

You don't need to keep living with a fallen bladder or prolapsed bladder. At Rush, we can repair your cystocele, a type of pelvic organ prolapse, with surgery.

Cystocele is a type of pelvic organ prolapse in women. It occurs when your pelvic floor becomes damaged, and your bladder bulges into the front wall of your vagina.

Signs You Should Get Help for Cystocele

You should get help if you have these common symptoms of cystocele:

  • Feeling like something is bulging into your vagina
  • Feeling like something is about to fall out of your vagina
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Feeling like you haven't completely emptied your bladder after urinating

Cystocele Treatment at Rush

Doctors at Rush treat cystocele with a highly personalized approach. This means your treatment is customized to you based on your age, overall health, the severity (grade) of your cystocele and whether you plan to become pregnant in the future.

You and your doctor at Rush can discuss the right treatment for your prolapsed bladder, which may include the following:

Nonsurgical treatments, such as physical therapy, estrogen therapy and wearing a pessary (a device you place in your vagina to support your pelvic floor organs)

Surgical treatments, such as minimally invasive procedures that tighten your pelvic muscles and repair your cystocele so you can focus on other aspects of your life

Rush Excellence in Cystocele Care

  • A collaborative, multidisciplinary team: We are committed to helping you find solutions to your problem so you can start feeling better again. Our team includes gynecologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons and physical therapists with special training in managing cystocele. We work together to ease your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
  • A Chicago-area leader in pelvic health: Rush University Medical Center was the first academic medical center in the area to offer a pelvic health program with specialized care for women with cystocele, urinary incontinence and other pelvic and abdominal conditions. So when you come to Rush, you're choosing some of the most experienced pelvic health doctors in the area.
  • Nationally recognized for gynecology and GI care: At Rush, your care team includes some of the country's leading gynecology and GI experts. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Rush University Medical Center among the best in the nation for gynecology and gastroenterology and GI surgery.
  • Minimally invasive options with small incisions: If you need surgery, our surgeons routinely use laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques that help you feel less pain, reduce scarring and speed your recovery after your procedure.
Testimonials

I think a lot of women push some of these conditions to the side — they think it’s a normal part of aging. It’s definitely common, but I wouldn’t consider it normal. So when women start to feel bothered, they should at least come in and be seen by us, so we can give them their options.

Kristin Jacobs, MD, Urogynecologist