title: Combined vaginal and vesicoscopic collaborative repair of complex vesicovaginal fistulae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to describe and demonstrate the feasibility of a minimally invasive surgical technique for the repair of complex vesicovaginal fistulae that may not be amenable to vaginal repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine cases of vesicovaginal fistulae, which were repaired laparoscopically at King's College Hospital, London and Ygia Polyclinic Private Hospital, Limassol between 2011 and 2013, were identified. The repair was carried out by direct placement of the ports into the urinary bladder (vesicoscopy). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected from a prospective database. All 9 operations were completed without any conversion to open surgery. Four ureteric reimplantations were necessary for ureteric involvement. There were no intraoperative complications but some intraoperative technical difficulties. No early postoperative complications were documented, and the hospital stay varied from 2 to 8 days. The fistula repair success rate was 89% at a median follow-up of 30 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This surgical technique is feasible and offers an alternative approach to the classical open or laparoscopic transperitoneal approach. It supplements the vaginal approach for fistulae that are not suitable for pure vaginal approach, allowing close collaboration between the laparoscopic urologist and the vaginal surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grange
authors.affiliation: Department of Urogynecology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giarenis
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rouse
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ygia Polyclinic Private Hospital, Limassol, Cyprus. Electronic address: ckouriefs@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Chryssanthos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kouriefs
authors.affiliation: Department of Urogynecology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dudley
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Urogynecology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardozo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy; D003558:Cystoscopy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014719:Vesicovaginal Fistula / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*