[The operative treatment of prolapse of the rectum (author's transl)].

Different kinds of mucosal prolapse at the rectum are differentiated. True and prolapse with protrusion of considerable portions of the rectum principally occur in later life. For younger patients several rather complicated operative procedures for the elimination of anal prolapse come into consideration, but usually they cannot be reasonably accepted by older patients. For this reason a simple method is recommended which carries little risk and yet promises satisfactory result--such as the insertion of a Thiersch ring. Whereas with this technique, if correctly carried out, improvement of the condition is almost certain to be expected, the longterm result over several years is limited, as a followup examination showed. Insertion of a Thiersch ring can, howeever, be repeated without difficulty. This procedure will retain its indication because of its simplicity.