Bladder ptosis, known medically as cystocele or anterior vaginal wall prolapse, means the bladder has dropped and bulges into the vagina because the supporting tissue has weakened. Treatment ranges from pelvic floor exercises and vaginal pessaries to surgical repair.
Surgery restores support and relieves the bulge and dragging sensation in most women. Prolapse can return, in perhaps 1 in 4 to 1 in 3 women over the years, and repair does not reliably cure urine leakage.
What Bladder Prolapse (Cystocele) Treatment involves
A urogynaecologist examines you and grades the prolapse, often with a bladder scan and sometimes urodynamic tests. Mild prolapse is managed with supervised pelvic floor training, vaginal oestrogen after menopause, and a silicone pessary fitted in clinic. For anterior repair (colporrhaphy), the surgeon works through the vagina: the front vaginal wall is opened, the stretched layer beneath the bladder is tightened with rows of dissolvable stitches, excess vaginal skin is trimmed and the wall is closed. If the top of the vagina or the womb has also dropped, a suspension is added, either vaginally or by laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. A catheter stays for 1 to 2 days.
Who is a good candidate for Bladder Prolapse (Cystocele) Treatment?
Surgery is for bothersome prolapse that has not settled with conservative care.
- Women with a bulge they can feel or see that affects daily life
- Difficulty emptying the bladder or repeated urine infections due to prolapse
- Women who have tried or do not want a pessary
- Those who have completed their families
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Women planning further pregnancy
- Mild prolapse without symptoms, which needs no surgery
- Women unfit for anaesthesia, for whom a pessary is safer
- Anyone expecting the repair to cure stress incontinence on its own
- Heavy smokers or women with chronic cough or constipation that has not been addressed
Technique options
- Pelvic floor physiotherapy: First-line for mild to moderate prolapse; needs 3 to 6 months.
- Vaginal pessary: A removable support, changed every few months; avoids surgery.
- Anterior colporrhaphy: Native tissue repair through the vagina; the standard operation.
- Sacrocolpopexy: Laparoscopic or robotic mesh suspension of the vaginal top, for apical or recurrent prolapse.
- Vaginal hysterectomy with repair: When the womb has prolapsed as well.
What happens during your treatment
Anterior repair takes 45 to 90 minutes under spinal or general anaesthetic, with 1 to 2 nights in hospital. You wake with a catheter and a vaginal pack, both usually removed the next day. Pain is moderate and controlled with tablets.
Preparing for your trip
Plan for 8 to 10 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
Recovery and results
Expect vaginal discharge and spotting for up to 6 weeks as stitches dissolve. Walk from day one. Avoid lifting more than about 5 kg, straining, and intercourse for 6 weeks. Office work is possible at 2 to 4 weeks. Keep bowels soft with fluids and laxatives. Flying is reasonable after about 7 to 10 days if you are emptying your bladder normally.
- Back to everyday activity: 2 to 4 weeks off work; 6 weeks no lifting
- When results show: Bulge relieved at once; full healing about 3 months
- How long they last: Lasting in most; recurrence in roughly 1 in 4 to 1 in 3
Safety, risks and revision policy
Most women recover well; problems mainly affect bladder function and durability.
- Recurrence of prolapse over time
- Difficulty passing urine for days, occasionally needing a catheter at home
- New or unmasked stress incontinence
- Urinary tract infection
- Pain during intercourse or vaginal narrowing
- Injury to bladder or ureter, which is uncommon
- Bleeding or pelvic haematoma
- Mesh exposure after sacrocolpopexy
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Bladder Prolapse (Cystocele) Treatment in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Bladder Prolapse (Cystocele) Treatment, because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Vaginal repair alone versus combined procedures
- Laparoscopic or robotic approach
- Urodynamic testing beforehand
- Length of hospital stay
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is vaginal mesh used?
Transvaginal mesh for prolapse has been restricted or withdrawn in many countries because of complications. Standard repair uses your own tissue. Ask exactly what is planned.
Will it cure my leaking?
Not reliably. Stress incontinence may need a separate procedure, and prolapse repair can even reveal leakage that was hidden.
Could a pessary be enough?
For many women, yes. It is worth trying before committing to surgery.