These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Puborectal sling interposition for the treatment of rectovaginal fistulas.
    Author: Oom DM, Gosselink MP, Van Dijl VR, Zimmerman DD, Schouten WR.
    Journal: Tech Coloproctol; 2006 Jul; 10(2):125-30; discussion 130. PubMed ID: 16773287.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Several techniques are available for the surgical treatment of rectovaginal fistulas, however often the results are rather disappointing. Interposition of healthy, well vascularized tissue may be the key to rectovaginal fistula healing. The present study was aimed at evaluating the outcome of puborectal sling interposition in the treatment of rectovaginal fistulas. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2004, 26 consecutive patients (median age, 40.5 years; range, 15-69 years) with a rectovaginal fistula underwent a puborectal sling interposition. The etiology of the fistulas was: obstetric injury (n=11), complications after prior surgery (n=2), bartholinitis (n=4), cryptoglandular perineal abscess (n=2), inflammatory bowel disease (n=2) and idiopathic causes (n=5). The patients received a questionnaire about fecal continence (before and after surgery) and dyspareunia (after surgery). RESULTS: The median follow-up was 14 months. The recto-vaginal fistula healed in 16 (62%) of 26 patients. In patients who had undergone one or more previous repairs, the healing rate was only 31% versus 92% in patients without previous repairs (p<0.01). The median Rockwood fecal incontinence severity index score did not change as a result of the surgery. Seventeen percent of patients experienced painful intercourse before the operation; after the procedure this problem was encountered by 57% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The puborectal sling interposition is only successful in patients without previous repairs and in those with an uneventful postoperative course, however dyspareunia is a major drawback of this procedure.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]