[Epidemiologic and therapeutic features of urogenital fistulae in Guinea (Conakry)]

Abstract

Objective: The authors analyse the epidemiological and therapeutic aspects of 186 cases of urogenital fistulas and attempt to define a preventive approach to these lesions.

Methods: From January 1986 to December 31, 1993, 186 patients were admitted to the urology department of Ignace Deen hospital for urogenital fistulas. Each patient was submitted to the following assessment: complete clinical examination, laboratory examination, endoscopic examination, radiological examination. A therapeutic classification was established on the basis of this assessment: Group 1: complex fistulas. Group 2: difficult fistulas. Group 3: simple fistulas.

Results: Urogenital fistulas were predominantly observed in young primiparous women living in rural zones and the principal cause was a dystocic delivery: 179 cases (96.23%), while only 7 cases (3.7%) were due to gynaecological lesions. 246 primary and secondary repair operations were performed, corresponding to an average of 1.3 operations per patient. Cure was obtained in 131 patients (70.43%) including 37.63%) in Group 1, 8.61% in Group 2 and 21.19% in Group 3. In three cases of partial success, the fistulas were closed; two patients have persistent dysuria with reduced bladder capacity and one patient suffers from dyspareunia with impossibility of coital penetration. Finally, the 49 failures (26.34%) concerned 34 type 1 fistulas; 5 type 2 fistulas and 10 type 3 fistulas.

Conclusions: In the light of our eight-year experience, urogenital fistula still appears to be a real problem in Guinea, where it represents a public health problem for which surgical cure still raises technical difficulties. In the fight for eradication of urogenital fistula in developing countries, emphasis must be placed on prevention with a just and equitable distribution of health care personnel in rural zones which are often underprivileged: constant improvement of the road network to allow rapid transfer of cases of foetomaternal dystocia to a reference centre; improvement of health structures; urological and obstetric surveillance of any woman operated for urogenital fistula.