Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Sep 27;14(9):1049-1059.
doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v14.i9.1049.

Minimally invasive endoscopic repair of rectovaginal fistula

Yi-Xian Zeng  1 , Ying-Hua He  1 , Yun Jiang  1 , Fei Jia  1 , Zi-Ting Zhao  1 , Xiao-Feng Wang  2
Affiliations

Minimally invasive endoscopic repair of rectovaginal fistula

Yi-Xian Zeng et al. World J Gastrointest Surg. .

Abstract

Background: Surgical techniques for repair of rectovaginal fistula (RVF) have been continually developed, but the ideal procedure remains unclear. Endoscopic repair is a novel and minimally invasive technique for RVF repair with increasing reporting.

Aim: To review the current applications and preliminary outcomes of this technique for RVF repair, aiming to give surgeons an alternative in clinical practice.

Methods: Available articles were searched according to the search strategy. And the sample size, fistula etiology, fistula type, endoscopic repair approaches, operative time and hospital stay, follow-up period, complication and life quality assessment were selected for recording and further analysis.

Results: A total of 11 articles were eventually identified, involving 71 patients with RVFs who had undergone endoscopic repair. The principal causes of RVFs were surgery (n = 51, 71.8%), followed by obstetrics (n = 7, 9.8%), inflammatory bowel disease (n = 5, 7.0%), congenital (n = 3, 4.2%), trauma (n = 2, 2.8%), radiation (n = 1, 1.4%), and in two patients, the cause was unclear. Most fistulas were in a mid or low position. Several endoscopic repair methods were included, namely transanal endoscopic microsurgery, endoscopic clipping, and endoscopic stenting. Most patients underwent > 1-year follow-up, and the success rate was 40%-93%, and all cases reported successful closure. Few complications were mentioned, while postoperative quality of life assessment was only mentioned in one study.

Conclusion: In conclusion, endoscopic repair of RVF is novel, minimally invasive and promising with acceptable preliminary effectiveness. Given its unique advantages, endoscopic repair can be an alternative technique for surgeons.

Keywords: Endoscopic repair; Minimal-invasive technique; Rectovaginal fistula.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Transanal endoscopic microsurgery for rectovaginal fistula repair.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The search strategy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Kniery KR, Johnson EK, Steele SR. Operative considerations for rectovaginal fistulas. World J Gastrointest Surg. 2015;7:133–137. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Baig MK, Zhao RH, Yuen CH, Nogueras JJ, Singh JJ, Weiss EG, Wexner SD. Simple rectovaginal fistulas. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2000;15:323–327. - PubMed
    1. Byrnes JN, Schmitt JJ, Faustich BM, Mara KC, Weaver AL, Chua HK, Occhino JA. Outcomes of Rectovaginal Fistula Repair. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2017;23:124–130. - PubMed
    1. Ommer A, Herold A, Berg E, Fürst A, Schiedeck T, Sailer M. German S3-Guideline: rectovaginal fistula. Ger Med Sci. 2012;10:Doc15. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rahman MS, Al-Suleiman SA, El-Yahia AR, Rahman J. Surgical treatment of rectovaginal fistula of obstetric origin: a review of 15 years' experience in a teaching hospital. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2003;23:607–610. - PubMed