title: Successful management of rectovaginal fistula treated by endorectal advancement flap: report of two cases and literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rectovaginal fistula (RVF) sometimes has a difficulty in treatment. This report describes two patients who suffered from RVF.
  
  
  METHODS
  One patient was a 76-year-old woman who had a RVF over 30 years after the 3rd childbirth. She underwent endorectal advancement flap (ERAF). She had a nighttime soiling after ERAF once a month, which disappeared one year after surgery. Second patient was a 23-year-old woman who had a RVF one month after the first childbirth. She underwent ERAF, and did not have any complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients did not develop recurrence for four years. Quality of life after ERAF was satisfactory in both patients. ERAF is a safe procedure in terms of both short and long outcomes. We also present a review of the literature concerning ERAF for RVF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERAF can be a potential option as a treatment for RVF.
authors.affiliation: Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519 Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugihara
keywords: Endorectal advancement flap; Rectovaginal fistula