title: Treatment of rectovaginal fistula: a 5-year review.
abstract: This paper presents a chart review of 17 patients who had been treated for rectovaginal fistula (RVF) from 1996 to 2000. In most cases (13; 76.5%), the fistula was the result of post-surgical complications. Following vaginal mucosa advancement flap repair or repair after conversion to a fourth-degree perineal laceration, 16 (94%) of the rectovaginal fistulae (during the first attempted repair or after failed treatment) were successfully treated. In all patients but one, faecal diversion was avoided. In two patients, fistulography was both a diagnostic procedure and the method of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Coloproctology Department, Calixto Garcia University Hospital, J y Universidad, Vedado, Havana, Cuba. dcasadesus@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Casadesus
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villasana
authors.forename: Ines M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010502:Perineum / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012006:Rectovaginal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing