A man in China had been sitting on the toilet for half an hour when his rectum fell out of his body. How did this happen and what exactly is rectal prolapse?

Rectum Falls Out Of Man's Body

Last Feb. 4 in Guangdong Province, doctors at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University treated a patient with quite the unusual predicament, as his rectum had apparently fallen out of his body. Reports state that the unidentified patient was playing mobile phone games while sitting on the toilet for about 30 minutes when his rectum fell out. He apparently rushed to the hospital after he noticed a "ball-sized" lump, which fell from his anus but still remained attached to his body.

According to the doctor who treated him, Dr. Su Dan, the man had a severe case of rectal prolapse, especially since he had had the condition since he was four years old but did not get treated for it. Evidently, in the past, the bulge had been able to retract or go back into proper position but could no longer do so in that instance.

A computer tomography scan revealed a 6.3-inch bulge outside of the patient's anus, and doctors also noticed blood spots and bruises along the patient's intestinal wall. Dr. Su states that perhaps in the man's process of trying to eliminate waste, his pelvic muscles might have weakened and that the long duration of sitting on the toilet might have triggered the prolapse.

The man has already been treated and is on the way to recovery. According to Dr. Su, anyone with the condition must get themselves treated as soon as possible.

Rectal Prolapse

Simply put, rectal prolapse is the condition wherein the rectum, or the portion of the large intestine just before the anus, loses its grip or attachment inside the body, turning inside out as it telescopes through the anus. While it is an uncomfortable condition, it does not often require an emergency medical response such as in the case of Dr. Su's patient.

According to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), rectal prolapse affects about 2.5 out of 100,000 people and affects mostly adults over 50 years of age. However, women who are over 50 years of age are six times more likely to develop the condition, whereas the men who develop the condition are often younger in their 40s.

The condition often presents itself in a gradual manner and returns back to normal after some time. However, while the rectum still has not returned to its normal position, patients with the condition may feel as though they are sitting on a "ball." Furthermore, up to 50 percent of patients experience chronic constipation and, if left untreated, could require emergency surgery.

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