In medicine, prolapse is a condition in which organs fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina, rectum, or for the misalignment of the valves of the heart. A spinal disc herniation is also sometimes called "disc prolapse". Prolapse means "to fall out of place", from the Latin prolabi meaning "to fall out". Relating to the uterus, prolapse condition results in an inferior extension of the organ into the vagina, caused by weakened pelvic muscles. Humans
Heart valve prolapse
The main type of prolapse of heart valves in humans is mitral valve prolapse (MVP), which is a valvular heart disease characterized by the displacement of an abnormally thickened mitral valve leaflet into the left atrium during systole. Tricuspid valve prolapse can cause tricuspid regurgitation. Rectal prolapse
Rectal prolapse is a condition in which part of the wall or the entire wall of the rectum falls out of place. Rectal prolapse can be a medical emergency. In some cases, the rectum may protrude. Symptoms of a rectal prolapse may be:

Leakage of stool
Bleeding, anal pain, itching, irritation
Tissue that protrudes from the rectumA surgeon may operate through the abdomen to secure part of the large intestine or rectum to the inside of the abdominal cavity (rectopexy). Sometimes the surgeon removes the affected part of the intestine. Surgery also can be done through the perineum (the area between the genitals and the anus) to remove the prolapsing tissue. Surgery is most often successful for people who still have some control over their bowel movements.
With appropriate management, the majority of cases have good neonatal outcomes. Other species
Reptiles
Genital prolapse has been reported in snakes and turtles. Birds
Oviduct prolapse is an often fatal condition in birds. When an egg is laid, the vagina everts through the cloaca to deliver the egg. Large eggs and avian obesity are contributors to this condition. Immediate veterinary assistance is paramount to the survival of a bird with prolapse. Even with immediate medical intervention the chances for survival are usually uncertain. Untreated birds will begin to tear at the injury site, and other flockmates will begin to cannibalize the prolapse area, a behaviour commonly known as pickout. Cattle
Prolapsed uterus in cattle, particularly dairy cattle, generally occurs in the first 12 hours post-calving. Frequent causes are hypocalcemia combined with irritation of the birth canal, causing straining. Replacement of the protrusion, which can range from the size of a softball to the hanging of the entire uterus down below the hocks, is performed with the cow in sternal recumbency, an epidural injection, and hindlimbs frogged rearwards to allow the pelvis to tip forward, easing replacement. Careful washing and cleaning prior to replacement is important as is ensuring that the horns are completely everted once inside the cow. Often a Buhner suture is placed in the vulva to prevent subsequent reprolapse. Another type of reproductive prolapse in cattle is so-called bovine vaginal prolapse. Sheep
Same as in cows. Pigs
Rectal prolapse is a condition routinely identified in pigs on farms and at slaughterhouses.