title: Nonclosure of rectourethral fistula during posterior sagittal anorectoplasty: Our experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of nonclosure of rectourethral (RU) fistula and to do a comparative analysis of the complications with and without nonclosure of RU fistula during posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) in anorectal malformation cases (ARM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 68 cases of ARM were included in the study group, of which 34 cases were those in whom RU fistula was not closed (group A) during PSARP. Another 34 successive cases were included in study group B in whom the RU fistula was closed as is conventionally done by using interrupted sutures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparatively, group A had none or minimum urological complications as compared to Group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RU fistula closure is not mandatory during PSARP and nonclosure avoids urological complications. It especially avoids urethral complications, which are 100% preventable.
authors.affiliation: SJKC Trust's Paed-Surgery Centre and P.G Institute, Sangli, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Sudhakar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jadhav
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raut
authors.forename: Jui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mandke
authors.forename: Santosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Ravindra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kittur
keywords: Anorectal malformation; rectourethral fistula; urologic injury