Contemporary genitourinary fistula management: treatment, trends, and innovations

To synthesize the current literature regarding the evaluation and management of genitourinary fistula in women.

Genitourinary fistula are aberrant communications between the urinary tract and genital tract that present with urinary leakage per the vagina. Initial management often involves conservative measures, such as urethral catheter or ureteral stent placement, progressing to surgical repair when needed. Key surgical principles include a tension-free, watertight closure with well-vascularized tissue including tissue interposition as appropriate, and postoperative urinary drainage. When surgical management of vesicovaginal fistula is necessary, a transvaginal repair is the most common. Other minimally invasive approaches are increasing and result in similarly high success rates with lower patient morbidity compared to open abdominal surgeries. The initial management of ureterovaginal fistula commonly includes ureteral stent placement. When not feasible or in persistent fistula, laparoscopic and robotic surgical repair with ureteral reconstruction offers high success rates with lower morbidity than an open approach.

Successful management of genitourinary fistula ranges from conservative urinary tract drainage to surgical interventions based on etiology, location, and complexity. Approaches to repair are shifting toward less invasive procedures. With optimal technique and surgical planning, high success rates can be achieved, particularly in primary repairs.