Posterior Colporrhaphy - Colpo- means "vagina" and -rhaphy means "repair of." Posterior colporrhaphy is a procedure that repairs the rectal bulge protruding through the back wall of the vagina. During the colporrhaphy procedure, an incision is made in the back wall of the vagina. The vaginal skin is separated from the rectal wall underneath. The weak or frayed edges of the deep vaginal wall tissue are identified. The strong tissue next to these edges is sutured to each other recreating the strong "wall" between the rectum and the vagina. The vaginal incision is then closed. At times, a surgeon may chose to place a "patch" of graft material over the repair line to reinforce the repair. Studies are ongoing to help understand the role of these graft materials in rectocele repair. Your surgeon will most likely close the incision with self-dissolving stitches.

ACOG, "Pelvic support problems" AP012