Cystocele

A “cystocele” (pronounced: cysto-oh-seal) is the bladder dropping into the vagina.

Normally, there is a supportive tissue layer called “fascia” that lies between the bladder and the vagina. The role of this tissue layer is to keep the bladder supported, and prevent the bladder from sagging or herniating into the vagina.

There are two places from where the bladder can lose its support. If you imagine that the bladder is like a hammock, you know that each ends of the hammock are attached by ropes to trees. The center of the hammock is made out of durable cloth.

1. One problem can occur, in the center of the hammock… for instance, imagine a heavy person sitting on the hammock day after day. When he/she stands up, the of the hammock sort of sags. This situation mimics one type of cystocele – when the central area of tissue between the bladder and the vagina gets weakened, the central part of the bladder drops.

2. Another problem occurs, when the ropes that attach the hammock to the trees stretch out/elongate. This situations mimics a type of cystocele known as a “paravaginal” defect – which means the sides of the bladder have torn or stretched off of their attachments.

Type of Cystoceles

The type of cystocele you have only becomes important when surgery is to be performed to repair it because each type calls for a different surgical procedure. If the proper surgical procedure is not done, there is a higher chance of failure.

The first type of cystocele (“central defect”) can be surgically repaired through the vagina with essentially no discomfort. The success rates are generally 80-85% successful.

The second type of cystocele can be surgically repaired either through the vagina or through an abdominal incision. Depending on the surgeon and the quality of the tissues, however, one route may be preferable to the other. You and your surgeon will discuss this.

Unfortunately, no surgical procedure is 100% guaranteed. Cystoceles are very hard to correct completely, usually because the tissue we need to repair it with is weakened to begin with (that is why you have the problem in the first place!)
Performing the proper procedure for your type of cystocele is very important to assure the best success possible.


Meet our Cystocele Specialists:

Name Specialties Location
Abavana, Christina, MD Abavana, Christina, MD
4.8 /5
139 surveys
203.254.2320
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Fairfield
  • Milford
Show Less
Griffith, John James, MD Griffith, John James, MD
4.9 /5
361 surveys
860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Southington
  • Plainville
Show Less
Sullivan, Jennifer L., PA-C Sullivan, Jennifer L., PA-C
4.8 /5
44 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
Alter, Eric Louis, MD, FACC, RPVI Alter, Eric Louis, MD, FACC, RPVI 203.254.2452
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Fairfield
  • Stratford
  • Milford
  • Fairfield
Show Less
O'Meara, Amanda V., MD O'Meara, Amanda V., MD 860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Hartford
  • Farmington
  • Plainville
Show Less
Liaw, Christine, MD Liaw, Christine, MD
4.7 /5
169 surveys
203.338.8760
  • Urology
  • Bridgeport
  • Wilton
  • Stamford
Show Less
Siev, Michael Howard, MD Siev, Michael Howard, MD
4.9 /5
285 surveys
860.253.3380
  • Urology
  • Enfield
  • Manchester
Show Less
Hager, Shaun Patrick, DO Hager, Shaun Patrick, DO
4.8 /5
211 surveys
860.443.0622
  • Urology
  • Waterford
  • Mystic
Show Less
Sappenfield, Elisabeth C., MD Sappenfield, Elisabeth C., MD
4.8 /5
141 surveys
860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Enfield
  • Hartford
  • Avon
Show Less
Minardi, Michael, PA-C Minardi, Michael, PA-C 860.496.8990
  • Urology
  • Torrington
Reynolds, Elizabeth, APRN, DNP, FNP-BC Reynolds, Elizabeth, APRN, DNP, FNP-BC
4.9 /5
218 surveys
860.678.5700
  • Urology
  • Farmington
Shreck, Evan, MD Shreck, Evan, MD
4.9 /5
441 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
  • Cheshire
Show Less
Shehu, Ardit, DO Shehu, Ardit, DO
4.8 /5
322 surveys
860.677.3950
  • Internal Medicine
  • Farmington
  • Farmington
Show Less
St. Martin, Brad, MD St. Martin, Brad, MD 860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Norwich
Fairchild, Rebecca, APRN Fairchild, Rebecca, APRN 860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Hartford
  • Farmington
  • Plainville
  • Enfield
  • Avon
Show Less
Schwartz, Marissa, APRN Schwartz, Marissa, APRN
4.8 /5
170 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • Hartford
  • Plainville
  • Avon
  • West Hartford
Show Less
Nguyen, Andrew, PA-C Nguyen, Andrew, PA-C 860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Plainville
St. Pierre, Joseph, DO St. Pierre, Joseph, DO
4.9 /5
150 surveys
203.926.8835
  • Bariatric Medicine
  • Shelton
  • Trumbull
  • Fairfield
Show Less
Katz, Eric, MD Katz, Eric, MD
4.8 /5
287 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • Hartford
  • Avon
  • West Hartford
  • Farmington
Show Less
Dorney, Eileen, PA-C Dorney, Eileen, PA-C
4.6 /5
141 surveys
203.338.8760
  • Urology
  • Bridgeport
  • Fairfield
Show Less
Wagner, Kathryn, MD Wagner, Kathryn, MD
4.9 /5
305 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
  • Cheshire
Show Less
Beamer, Matthew, MD Beamer, Matthew, MD
4.7 /5
112 surveys
203.338.8760
  • Urology
  • Bridgeport
  • Wilton
  • Stamford
Show Less
Kuruca, Burcu, APRN, FNP Kuruca, Burcu, APRN, FNP
4.8 /5
92 surveys
860.253.3380
  • Urology
  • Enfield
  • Farmington
Show Less
Ferraguto, Jillian, APRN Ferraguto, Jillian, APRN
4.7 /5
92 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • Glastonbury
Gunter, Alexandra, APRN Gunter, Alexandra, APRN
4.8 /5
287 surveys
860.678.7300
  • Urology
  • Farmington
Pyo, Paul, MD Pyo, Paul, MD
4.9 /5
575 surveys
203.238.1241
  • Urology
  • Meriden
  • Cheshire
Show Less
Benson, Scott Marshall, DO Benson, Scott Marshall, DO 860.522.2377
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Hartford
  • Bloomfield
Show Less
Tishler, Darren Scott, MD, FACS, FASMBS Tishler, Darren Scott, MD, FACS, FASMBS
4.9 /5
202 surveys
860.246.2071
  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Glastonbury
  • Manchester
Show Less
Everhart-Caye, Maria Anne, MD Everhart-Caye, Maria Anne, MD 860.241.0700
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Wethersfield
Show Less
Rasool, Altaf, MD Rasool, Altaf, MD 860.889.8331
  • Nephrology
  • Norwich
Kutz, Stephen M., MD, FACC Kutz, Stephen M., MD, FACC
4.9 /5
307 surveys
401.596.4499
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Westerly
  • Mystic
Show Less
Dorin, Ryan P., MD, FACS Dorin, Ryan P., MD, FACS
4.9 /5
314 surveys
860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Plainville
  • Bristol
  • Meriden
Show Less
Tiano, Joseph John, MD Tiano, Joseph John, MD 203.683.5100
  • Cardiac Electrophysiology
  • Bridgeport
  • Fairfield
  • Trumbull
  • Fairfield
Show Less
Glenney, Sandra F., APRN, DNP, RNFA Glenney, Sandra F., APRN, DNP, RNFA
4.8 /5
157 surveys
860.886.1956
  • Urology
  • Norwich
Casillas, Sergio Rafael, MD Casillas, Sergio Rafael, MD
4.9 /5
158 surveys
860.889.9080
  • General Surgery
  • Norwich
  • Norwich
  • Waterford
Show Less
Laut, Jeffrey Marc, MD Laut, Jeffrey Marc, MD 860.241.0700
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Hartford
Show Less
Rosenberg, David Jeremy, MD Rosenberg, David Jeremy, MD
4.9 /5
608 surveys
860.643.2731
  • Urology
  • Manchester
Weisman, Kenneth Martin, MD Weisman, Kenneth Martin, MD
4.8 /5
253 surveys
860.348.2500
  • Urology
  • Thomaston
  • Bristol
  • Plainville
Show Less
D'Ambrosio, Susan E., PsyD D'Ambrosio, Susan E., PsyD 860.678.5700
  • Psychology
  • Fairfield
LaSala, Christine Ann, MD, FACS, FACOG, FFPMRS LaSala, Christine Ann, MD, FACS, FACOG, FFPMRS
4.9 /5
160 surveys
860.972.4338
  • Urogynecology
  • Avon
  • Plainville
Show Less
Samat, Aashish Gopaldas, MD Samat, Aashish Gopaldas, MD
4.8 /5
265 surveys
860.696.2240
  • Endocrinology
  • Farmington
  • New Britain
  • Farmington
Show Less
Phanavong, Jacquelyne M., PA-C Phanavong, Jacquelyne M., PA-C
4.7 /5
252 surveys
860.947.8500
  • Urology
  • West Hartford
Tunitsky-Bitton, Elena, MD, FACOG, FFPMRS Tunitsky-Bitton, Elena, MD, FACOG, FFPMRS
4.9 /5
178 surveys
860.972.4338
  • Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Hartford
  • Avon
Show Less
Ceplenski, Paul John, MD Ceplenski, Paul John, MD 860.826.4453
  • Urology
  • New Britain
Steinberg, Adam C., DO, MBA, FACS, FACOG Steinberg, Adam C., DO, MBA, FACS, FACOG 860.972.4338
  • Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Hartford
Umashanker, Devika, MD Umashanker, Devika, MD
4.6 /5
123 surveys
833.861.5433
  • Bariatric Medicine
  • Glastonbury
Loughery, Erin Marie, APRN Loughery, Erin Marie, APRN
4.8 /5
260 surveys
860.886.1956
  • Urology
  • Norwich
  • Plainfield
Show Less
Tray, Kory A., MD Tray, Kory A., MD 860.241.0700
  • Nephrology
  • Hartford
  • Wethersfield
  • Bloomfield
Show Less
Masoud, Amir E., MD Masoud, Amir E., MD 475.210.4727
  • Gastroenterology
  • Old Saybrook
  • Fairfield
Show Less
McLeod, Brian Scott, MD McLeod, Brian Scott, MD
4.9 /5
430 surveys
860.564.9250
  • Urology
  • Plainfield

Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute