This purpose of this study was to establish a new standard for the surgical management of female genital fistula in Korea. From January 1992 to October 2001, 117 patients with female genital fistula who were admitted to the departments of obstetrics and gynecology, urology and general surgery were analyzed. Nine patients with congenital etiologies and 48 patients who were treated conservatively were excluded. The relationships between surgical outcome and the cause of fistula, the location of fistula, and the various surgical methods were analyzed. In spite of appropriate surgical treatment, fistulas due to cervix cancer management had the worst prognosis. In terms of location, fistula recurrence after surgical repair was most common in the bladder fundus and base. The transvaginal and transrectal approaches are suitable for fistulas located in the lower vagina. The transabdominal approach is appropriate for fistulas located in the functional portions such as the bladder and ureter, for fistulas which are difficult to expose surgically by either the vaginal or rectal approach, or in cases with severe adhesions. In cases of cervix cancer, extra care should be taken during surgical expiration or definitive radiotherapy, especially when the areas involved are the bladder fundus and base. The nature of the surgical approach should be decided by the location of the fistula, the functional importance of the area, and the degree of surgical exposure during the corrective procedures.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Human ; Korea ; Middle Age ; Rectovaginal Fistula/surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Fistula/surgery ; Vaginal Fistula/*surgery ; Vesicovaginal Fistula/surgery

OBJECTIVE: To explore new methods for laparoscopic repair of vesicovaginal fistula. METHODS: Five patients with vesicovaginal fistula in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, were reviewed retrospectively from May 2013 to July 2014. All patients underwent laparoscopic repair surgery, and the surgical methods were analyzed. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and hospital stay time were recorded. The duration of follow-up was from 4 to 12 months. RESULTS: Th e surgical procedures for all 5 patients were successful. No open surgery was required. The operative time was 70~120 (mean: 97) min, the intraoperative blood loss was 40~70 (mean: 54) mL, the hospital stay time was 4~8 (mean: 5.8) days. During the follow up of 4~12 (mean: 7.6) months, no recurrence was observed. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic repair of vesicovaginal fistula is a feasible and safe and effective procedure with less blood loss and shorter recovery time, which can minimize surgery damage and improve successful rate.
Blood Loss, Surgical ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vesicovaginal Fistula ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic factors affecting the failure of transvaginal repair of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). METHODS: A retrospective nested case-control study was conducted. A total of 15 patients who underwent unsuccessful transvaginal vesicovaginal fistula repair in the Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital from January 2014 to December 2020 were enrolled as the case group. A total of 60 patients receiving transvaginal vesicovaginal fistula repair by the same surgeon within the same time range, were selected as the control group. The age, body mass index (BMI), etiology of vesicovaginal fistula, associated genitourinary malformation, frequency of repair, characteristics of fistula, surgical procedure, postoperative recovery and other factors were compared between the case group and the control group, and the influencing factors of failure were analyzed. RESULTS: The BMI of the case group was (26.3±3.9) kg/m², the diameter of vaginal fistula was (1.5±0.8) cm, and the operative time of transvaginal repair was (111.8±19.8) min. The proportion of the patients with genitourinary malformations was 4/15, the proportion of the patients with multiple vaginal repairs was 13/15, the proportion of the patients with concurrent ureteral reimplantation was 6/15, and the proportion of the patients with postoperative fever was 5/15. In the control group, the BMI was (23.9±3.0) kg/m², the diameter of vaginal fistula was (0.8±0.5) cm, the operative time of transvaginal repair was (99.9±19.7) min, the rate of associated genitourinary malformation was 2/60, the rate of multiple transvaginal repair was 18/60, the rate of concurrent ureteral reimplantation was 5/60, and no postoperative fever was found. Compared with the control group, the case group had higher BMI (P=0.013), bigger vaginal fistula (P=0.002), longer time of operation (P=0.027), higher proportion of genitourinary malformations (P=0.013), higher proportion of repeated transvaginal repair (P < 0.001), higher proportion of ureter reimplantation (P=0.006), and higher proportion of postoperative fever (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that fistula diameter ≥1 cm (OR=10.45, 95%CI=1.90-57.56, P=0.007) and repeated transvaginal repair (OR=16.97, 95%CI=3.17-90.91, P=0.001) were independent prognostic factors for VVF failure in transvaginal repair. CONCLUSION Fistula diameter ≥1 cm and repeated transvaginal repair are independent prognostic factors of failure in transvaginal repair.
Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vesicovaginal Fistula/surgery*