Seminars in Colon & Rectal Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 69-78 , March 2007

Rectovaginal Fistula

  • Patricia L. Roberts

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests to: Patricia L. Roberts, MD, Staff Surgeon, Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Lahey Clinic, 41 Mall Rd, Burlington, MA 01805.

References 

  1. Goldaber KG, Wendel PJ, McIntire DD, et al. Postpartum perineal morbidity after fourth-degree perineal repair. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1993;168:489–493
  2. Venkatesh KS, Ramanujam PS, Larson DM, et al. Anorectal complications of vaginal delivery. Dis Colon Rectum. 1989;32:1039–1041
  3. Radcliffe AG, Ritchie JK, Hawley PR, et al. Anovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas in Crohn’s disease. Dis Colon Rectum. 1988;31:94–99
  4. Allen-Mersh TG, Wilson EJ, Hope-Stone HF, et al. The management of late radiation-induced rectal injury after treatment of carcinoma of the uterus. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1987;164:521–524
  5. Cooke SA, DeMoor NG. The surgical treatment of the radiation damaged rectum. Br J Surg. 1981;68:488–492
  6. Graham JB. Vaginal fistulas following radiotherapy. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1965;120:1019–1030
  7. Tsang C, Madoff RD, Wong WD, et al: Anal sphincter integrity is a useful determinant of outcome in rectovaginal fistula repair. Dis Colon Rectum (in press)
  8. Sultan AH, Kamm MA, Hudson CN, et al. Anal-sphincter disruption during vaginal delivery. N Engl J Med. 1993;329:1905–1911
  9. Lowry AC, Thorson AG, Rothenberger DA, et al. Repair of simple rectovaginal fistulas (Influence of previous repairs). Dis Colon Rectum. 1988;31:676–678
  10. Rothenberger DA, Christenson CE, Balcos EG, et al. Endorectal advancement flap for treatment of simple rectovaginal fistula. Dis Colon Rectum. 1982;25:297–300
  11. Bauer JJ, Sher ME, Jaffin H, et al. Transvaginal approach for repair of rectovaginal fistulae complicating Crohn’s disease. Ann Surg. 1991;213:151–158
  12. Stricker JW, Schoetz DJ, Coller JA, et al. Surgical correction of anal incontinence. Dis Colon Rectum. 1988;31:533–540
  13. Khanduja KS, Yamashita HJ, Wise WE, et al. Delayed repair of obstetric injuries of the anorectum and vagina: A stratified surgical approach. Dis Colon Rectum. 1994;37:344–349
  14. Mengert WF, Fish SA. Anterior rectal wall advancement: Technique for repair of complete perineal laceration and rectovaginal fistula. Obstet Gynecol. 1955;5:262–267
  15. Russell TR, Gallagher DM. Low rectovaginal fistulas: Approach and treatment. Am J Surg. 1977;134:13–18
  16. Wise WE, Aguilar PS, Padmanabhan A, et al. Surgical treatment of low rectovaginal fistulas. Dis Colon Rectum. 1991;34:271–274
  17. Hull TL, Fazio VW. Surgical approaches to low anovaginal fistula in Crohn’s disease. Am J Surg. 1997;173:95–98
  18. Pepe F, Panella M, Arikan S, et al. Low rectovaginal fistulas. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynecol. 1987;27:61–63
  19. Tancer ML, Lasser D, Rosenblum N. Rectovaginal fistula or perineal and anal sphincter disruption or both after vaginal delivery. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1990;171:43–46
  20. Greenwald JC, Hoexter B. Repair of rectovaginal fistulas. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1978;146:443–445
  21. Abel ME, Chiu YSY, Russell TR, et al. Autologous fibrin glue in the treatment of rectovaginal and complex fistulas. Dis Colon Rectum. 1993;36:447–449
  22. Hudson CN. Rectovaginal fistula: Vaginal repair. In:  Fielding LP, Goldberg  editor. Rob and Smith’s-Operative Surgery-Surgery of the Colon, Rectum and Anus. (ed 5). Oxford, England: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1993;p. 849–864
  23. Belt FL, Belt RL. Repair of anorectal vaginal fistula utilizing segmental advancement of the internal sphincter muscle. Dis Colon Rectum. 1969;12:99–104
  24. Martius H. Die operative Wiederherstellung der vollkommen fehlenden Harnrohare und des Schliessmuskel derselben. Zentralbl Gynakol. 1928;52:480–486
  25. Zacharin KF. Grafting as a principle in the surgical management of vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulae: Aust N Z J Obstet. Gynecol. 1980;20:10–17
  26. White AJ, Buchsbaum HJ, Blythe JG, et al. Use of the bulbocavernosius muscle Martius technique for repair of radiation-induced rectovaginal fistulas. Obstet Gynecol. 1982;60:114–118
  27. Boronow RC. Repair of the radiation-induced vaginal fistula utilizing the Martius Technique. World J Surg. 1986;10:237–248
  28. Aarten ET, Sindram IS. Repair of the radiation induced rectovaginal fistulas with or without interposition of the bullbocavernosus muscle. Eur J Surg Oncol. 1988;14:171–177
  29. Parks AG, Allen CL, Frank JD, et al. A method of treating post-irradiation rectovaginal fistulas. Br J Surg. 1978;65:417–421
  30. Cooke SA, Wellsted MD. The radiation-damaged rectum: Resection with coloanal anastomosis using the endoanal technique. World J Surg. 1986;10:220–227
  31. Bricker EM, Johnston WD. Repair of post-irradiation rectovaginal fistula and stricture. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1979;148:499–506

 Roberts PL. Rectovaginal Fistula. Seminars in Colon and Rectal Surgery. 9:198-207,1998

 Although representing about 5% of anal fistulas, rectovaginal fistulas are accompanied by such distressing and potentially socially debilitating symptoms that most require operation. This article provides a comprehensive review of treatment of this challenging problem; the operative illustrations are excellent and particularly helpful.

PII: S1043-1489(06)00118-7

doi: 10.1053/j.scrs.2006.12.011

Seminars in Colon & Rectal Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 69-78 , March 2007