The treatment of fistulas following irradiation damage.
Fistulas following irradiation treatment of uterine cancer present special problems. They are seldom isolated injuries. Because of the depressed response of connective tissue, direct repair can seldom be carried out. For rectovaginal fistulas a defunctioning colostomy is the usual first stage, and this may in time result in spontaneous closure. Repair can only be achieved by carefully planned operations where non-irradiated tissue is used to close the defect.
D003125:Colostomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D012006:Rectovaginal Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*