Rectovaginal fistulas: five year's experience

Rectovaginal fistula is an epithelial connection between the anterior wall of the rectum and posterior wall of the vagina. The etiology of the rectovaginal fistula can be trauma orginated from violent acts or foreign bodies as well as trauma during obstetric, gynecologic, or colorectal surgeries. The purpose of this study was to share our clinic experience and surgical management for rectovaginal fistulas.

This study was conducted at the Department of General Surgery, University of Dicle. All patients who were treated for rectovaginal fistulas between January 2005 and December 2011 were included to this study.

There were fifteen patients in a mean age of 32 ± 9.6. The most common complains of patients were arrival of gas and stool from the vagina. The etilogy of rectovaginal fistula was most commonly obstetric trauma in our patients and three of them had anal incontinance. The mean time of hospital stay was 5 days ± 1.7. Postoperative wound infection was seen in two patients and reccurence disease occurred in two patients during the postoperative period.

Rectovaginal fistula treatment is a challenging condition for the surgeon since anatomical relationships and different surgical conditions changes according to the paitents. Various surgical techniques are available for the management of rectovaginal fistulas according to their etiology, size, location. For the treatment of low fistulas, best results were achieved using conservative fistulectomy, layer closure, and both-sided covering of the tissue defect with advancement vaginal and rectal flaps.