title: Complex Rectovaginal Fistula-an Experience at a Tertiary Care Centre.
abstract: Complex rectovaginal fistulae are difficult to manage. With an initial failed attempt, a simple fistula becomes complex and the success rate of a subsequent repair decreases. A review of our prospectively maintained records over a period of 16 years revealed 25 patients with rectovaginal fistulae. A variety of procedures was performed in these patients according to their aetiology, site and if there had been a previous attempt at repair. The mean age of the patients was 45 years. The most common cause was operative trauma in 14 cases. Ten patients had previous attempts at repair which had not been successful. The surgical procedures we performed included re-enforcement flaps, resection with diversion, repair with re-enforcement with omentum and simple diversion. Two patients developed recurrence, and one of them healed after a second repair. No recurrence developed in 10 patients who had failed attempts at repair elsewhere. Our experience has shown that most complex rectovaginal fistulae can be successfully repaired but they might require repeated operations. Faecal diversion is usually necessary, and in recurrent fistulae, we found that rather than a local repair, a muscle flap or omental interposition improves the chances of healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Room No 2222, New Delhi, 110060 India.
authors.forename: Shailendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lalwani
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Room No 2222, New Delhi, 110060 India.
authors.forename: Vibha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Room No 2222, New Delhi, 110060 India.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Room No 2222, New Delhi, 110060 India.
authors.forename: Naimish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Room No 2222, New Delhi, 110060 India.
authors.forename: Samiran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nundy
keywords: Gracilis flap repair; Pouchvaginal fistula; Rectovaginal fistula; Recurrent fistula