Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA cystocele (SIS-to-seel) occurs when the supportive tissue between a woman's bladder and vaginal wall weakens and stretches, allowing the bladder to bulge into the vagina. A cystocele is also called a prolapsed bladder.
Straining the muscles that support your pelvic organs may lead to a cystocele. Such straining occurs during vaginal childbirth or with chronic constipation, violent coughing or heavy lifting. Cystoceles also tend to cause problems after menopause, when estrogen levels decrease.
For a mild or moderate cystocele, nonsurgical treatment is often effective. In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to keep the vagina and other pelvic organs in their proper positions.
- McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2012. 51st ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9026. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
- Abed M, et al. Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse: Diagnosis and treatment for the primary care physician. Medical Clinics of North America. 2008;92:1273.
- Mahajan ST. Anterior vaginal wall support abnormalities: Evaluation and treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Feb. 13, 2012.
- Urinary incontinence in women. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/uiwomen/. Accessed Feb. 13, 2012.
- Hagen S, et al. Conservative prevention and management of pelvic organ prolapse in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/view/0/index.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
- Leu PB, et al. Cystocele repair with interpositional grafting. Urologic Clinics of North America. 2011;38:47.
- Bladder prolapse (cystocele). American Urological Association Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=118. Accessed Feb. 28, 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on