Abstract
A vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is an abnormal connection between the bladder and the vagina. This is a devastating and often debilitating disorder affecting up to 0.3–2% of women worldwide. In the developed world, VVF is most often due to injury to the genitourinary tract at the time of pelvic surgery, with pelvic cancer and radiation being less common causes. In the developing world, prolonged and obstructed labor is the most common cause. Evaluation with a physical exam, cystoscopy, and imaging is key in deciding surgical planning. The same principles of fistula repair apply to both abdominal and vaginal approaches. Though there are no prospective, randomized trials on the vaginal and the abdominal approaches to repair, the vaginal approach for VVF repair is the preferred approach for most vaginal surgeons and has high success rates.
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Vollstedt, A., Hoang, L., Sirls, L. (2023). Vesicovaginal Fistula Repair: Vaginal Approach. In: Martins, F.E., Holm, H.V., Sandhu, J., McCammon, K.A. (eds) Female Genitourinary and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71112-2_44-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71112-2_44-1
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