Abstract
The presence of a rectovaginal or rectourethral fistula has a dramatic psychosocial and self-esteem impact for patients with an important quality of life impairment. For rectovaginal fistulas, there are multiple etiologies and backgrounds from where they can arise, therefore an organized and detailed diagnosis workup needs to be made before appropriate treatment implantation. There is no high-level evidence for appropriate management of rectovaginal fistulas, therefore the choice and moment of repair depends on various factors based on the patient, the underlying disease, and surgeon’s experience. Rectourethral fistulas are a very challenging situation because they affect the urinary and digestive tracts, usually involving hostile tissues from radiation, previous surgeries, or inflammation. Correct preoperative assessment in a multidisciplinary team setting improves outcomes. The following chapter discusses on the etiology, evaluation, classification, and it provides clinical resources to facilitate decision-making in the management of these diseases.
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Marinello, F., Campennì, P., Espin-Basany, E. (2022). Rectovaginal and Rectourethral Fistulas. In: Ratto, C., Parello, A., Litta, F., De Simone, V., Campennì, P. (eds) Anal Fistula and Abscess. Coloproctology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76670-2_42
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