DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Rectal prolapse — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleRectal prolapse maps to a 1-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for rectal prolapse is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
What the evidence adds up to
Surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse produces outcomes similar to those for primary prolapse. In a study of 115 patients, 27 with recurrent prolapse were matched to 27 with primary prolapse. Preoperative incontinence scores were comparable (13.6 vs 12.7 on a 0–20 scale). Postoperative incontinence scores, mortality (0 vs 3.7 percent), hospital stay (5.4 vs 6.9 days), anastomotic leak (3.7 vs 3.7 percent), wound infection (3.7 vs 0 percent), and recurrence rate (14.8 vs 11.1 percent) all showed no statistically significant difference. The overall success rate for recurrent prolapse was 85.2 percent at a mean follow-up of 23.9 months. The authors conclude that the same surgical options are valid for both primary and recurrent prolapse.
Two cases of complete rectal prolapse after ingestion of oral cathartics for bowel preparation have been reported, a decade apart. The authors note that despite thousands of bowel preparations performed annually, this complication had not previously been described. They discuss management but provide no numbers on incidence or outcome.
In a series of 97 patients with rectal prolapse, 36 were unaware the prolapse was occurring. This concealed prolapse caused delay in diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Most cases were considered primary and responded well to surgical repair, but in a few patients the prolapse followed prolonged straining, and in those surgical repair was less successful.
A single case report describes a young adult with strangulated rectal prolapse treated emergently with the Altemeier technique. No further cases or comparative data are given.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum · 2000 · 56 citations
Recurrent rectal prolapse
AbstractPURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and functional outcome of surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse and compare it with the outcome of patients who underwent primary operation for rectal prolapse. METHODS: All patients who underwent surgery for rectal prolapse were evaluated for age, gender, procedure, anorectal manometry and electromyography findings, and morbidity. The results for patients who underwent surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse were compared with a group of patients matched for age, gender, surgeon, and procedure who underwent primary operations for rectal prolapse. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients underwent surgery for rectal prolapse. Twenty-seven patients, 10 initially operated on at this institution and 17 operated on elsewhere, underwent surgery for recurrent rectal prolapse. These 27 patients were compared with 27 patients with primary rectal prolapse operated on in our department. In the recurrent rectal prolapse group, prior surgery included rectopexy in 7 patients, Delorme's procedure in 7 patients, perineal rectosigmoidectomy in 7 patients, anal encirclement procedure in 4 patients, and resection rectopexy in 2 patients. Operations performed for recurrence were perineal rectosigmoidectomy in 14 patients, resection rectopexy in 8 patients, rectopexy in 2 patients, pelvic floor repair in 2 patients, and Delorme's procedure in 1 patient. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in preoperative incontinence score (recurrent rectal prolapse, 13.6 +/- 7.8 vs. rectal prolapse, 12.7 +/- 7.2; range, 0-20) or manometric or electromyography findings, and there were no significant differences in mortality (0 vs. 3.7 percent), mean hospital stay (5.4 +/- 2.5 vs. 6.9 +/- 2.8 days), anastomotic complications (anastomotic stricture (0 vs. 7.4 percent), anastomotic leak (3.7 vs. 3.7 percent) and wound infection (3.7 vs. 0 percent), postoperative incontinence score (2.8 +/- 4.8 vs. 1.5 +/- 2.7), or recurrence rate (14.8 vs. 11.1 percent) between the two groups at a mean follow-up of 23.9 (range, 6-68) and 22 (range, 5-55) months, respectively. The overall success rate for recurrent rectal prolapse was 85.2 percent. CONCLUSION: The outcome of surgery for rectal prolapse is similar in cases of primary or recurrent prolapse. The same surgical options are valid in both scenarios.
Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery · 2008 · 20 citations · open access
Perineal Approaches to Rectal Prolapse
AbstractThe management of full-thickness rectal prolapse involves surgical intervention in the majority of cases. Many procedures have been described. Perineal procedures are generally reserved for patients with multiple comorbid conditions or those considered too elderly or frail to withstand an abdominal surgical approach. They also play an important role in the management of rectal mucosal prolapse. The techniques, advantages, and complications of perineal approaches to rectal prolapse in use today are the focus of this chapter.
Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology · 1992 · 6 citations
Rectal Prolapse After Oral Cathartics
AbstractComplete rectal prolapse or procidentia is an uncommon condition long recognized but of uncertain pathogenesis. We report two patients, seen a decade apart, both of whom developed complete rectal prolapse after ingestion of oral cathartics in preparation for diagnostic studies. To our knowledge, cathartic-induced complete rectal prolapse has not been reported previously in the current medical literature, despite the thousands of bowel preparations performed annually. These two cases address the implications of such an occurrence, and we discuss the pertinent management issues.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery · 1980 · 3 citations
CONCEALED RECTAL PROLAPSE
AbstractIn a series of 97 patients with rectal prolapse 36 were unaware that the prolapse was occurring. Failure to recognize the prolapse may cause delay in diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. In most instances the prolapse was considered to be primary and responded well to surgical repair; however, in a few patients the prolapse seemed to follow prolonged straining, and in these surgical repair is not so successful.
SAS Journal of Surgery · 2021 · 0 citations · open access
Strangled Rectal Prolapse in Young Adult Treated with the Altemeier Technique: 1 Case Report
AbstractRectal prolapse (RP) is an uncommon perineal disease. It is defined as a complete protrusion of the rectum through the anus. The main emergency is the strangulation of RP, which is rare. This complication requires emergent surgery. This case presentation aims to report on therapeutic management and the results of this disease.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
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