Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to report the outcomes of an algorithm-based multidisciplinary treatment approach to rectourethral fistula.
Methods
This study is a retrospective review of a prospectively collected database at a tertiary center of all consecutive patients treated between 2003 and 2013.
Results
Thirty males (mean age 63 years) were reviewed. Prostate cancer treatment was the most common fistula etiology (97 %). Urinary drainage consisted of urethral catheter in all patients and suprapubic catheter in 14 (47 %). The rate of fecal diversion was 67 %. During a mean follow-up of 72 months, healing rate was 90 % and recurrence rate 0 %. Spontaneous healing was achieved in 14 patients (47 %): 8 (27 %) without fecal diversion and 6 (20 %) following fecal diversion. Thirteen patients (43 %) required definitive intervention. The majority of operated patients underwent transanal or transperineal flap (endorectal, dartos, or gracilis) successfully. Only 2 patients (7 %) required an abdominal approach (positive oncologic margins or non-functioning bladder). Fifteen out of the 20 patients (75 %) who underwent fecal diversion had stoma closure with an overall permanent stoma rate of 17 %. Long-term urinary incontinence was noted in 11 patients (37 %). Six patients (20 %) required permanent urinary diversion or drainage catheters.
Conclusions
Algorithm-based treatment approach for rectourethral fistula is useful in the management of this rare condition. Selective fecal diversion is possible, and majority of patients who require definitive intervention can be treated with a transanal or transperineal approach. The rate of permanent stoma is low, but long-term urinary dysfunction is frequent.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdalla MA (2009) Posterior sagittal pararectal approach with rectal mobilization for repair of rectourethral fistula: an alternative approach. Urology 73:1110–1114
Alam S, Levitt MA, Sheldon CA, Pena A (2007) The posterior sagittal approach for recurrent genitourinary pathology. J Urol 178:1668–1671, discussion 1671
Gupta G, Kumar S, Kekre NS, Gopalakrishnan G (2008) Surgical management of rectourethral fistula. Urology 71:267–271
Youssef AH, Fath-Alla M, El-Kassaby AW (1999) Perineal subcutaneous dartos pedicled flap as a new technique for repairing urethrorectal fistula. J Urol 161:1498–1500
Buckley JC (2011) Complications after radical prostatectomy: anastomotic stricture and rectourethral fistula. Curr Opin Urol 21:461–464
Lane BR, Stein DE, Remzi FH, Strong SA, Fazio VW, Angermeier KW (2006) Management of radiotherapy induced rectourethral fistula. J Urol 175:1382–1387, discussion 1387-1388
Vanni AJ, Buckley JC, Zinman LN (2010) Management of surgical and radiation induced rectourethral fistulas with an interposition muscle flap and selective buccal mucosal onlay graft. J Urol 184:2400–2404
McLaren RH, Barrett DM, Zincke H (1993) Rectal injury occurring at radical retropubic prostatectomy for prostate cancer: etiology and treatment. Urology 42:401–405
Chun L, Abbas MA (2011) Rectourethral fistula following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Tech Coloproctol 15:297–300
Borland RN, Walsh PC (1992) The management of rectal injury during radical retropubic prostatectomy. J Urol 147:905–907
Blana A, Walter B, Rogenhofer S, Wieland WF (2004) High-intensity focused ultrasound for the treatment of localized prostate cancer: 5-year experience. Urology 63:297–300
Jones JS, Rewcastle JC, Donnelly BJ, Lugnani FM, Pisters LL, Katz AE (2008) Whole gland primary prostate cryoablation: initial results from the cryo on-line data registry. J Urol 180:554–558
Pisters LL, Rewcastle JC, Donnelly BJ, Lugnani FM, Katz AE, Jones JS (2008) Salvage prostate cryoablation: initial results from the cryo on-line data registry. J Urol 180:559–563, discussion 563-564
Theodorescu D, Gillenwater JY, Koutrouvelis PG (2000) Prostatourethral-rectal fistula after prostate brachytherapy. Cancer 89:2085–2091
Tsakiris P, Thuroff S, de la Rosette J, Chaussy C (2008) Transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound devices: a critical appraisal of the available evidence. J Endourol 22:221–229
Bukowski TP, Chakrabarty A, Powell IJ, Frontera R, Perlmutter AD, Montie JE (1995) Acquired rectourethral fistula: methods of repair. J Urol 153:730–733
al-Ali M, Kashmoula D, Saoud IJ (1997) Experience with 30 posttraumatic rectourethral fistulas: presentation of posterior transsphincteric anterior rectal wall advancement. J Urol 158:421–424
Andrews EJ, Royce P, Farmer KC (2011) Transanal endoscopic microsurgery repair of rectourethral fistula after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of prostate cancer. Colorectal Dis 13:342–343
Culkin DJ, Ramsey CE (2003) Urethrorectal fistula: transanal, transsphincteric approach with locally based pedicle interposition flaps. J Urol 169:2181–2183
Noldus J, Fernandez S, Huland H (1999) Rectourinary fistula repair using the Latzko technique. J Urol 161:1518–1520
Renschler TD, Middleton RG (2003) 30 years of experience with York-Mason repair of recto-urinary fistulas. J Urol 170:1222–1225, discussion 1225
Shin PR, Foley E, Steers WD (2000) Surgical management of rectourinary fistulae. J Am Coll Surg 191:547–553
Turner-Warwick R (1972) The use of pedicle grafts in the repair of urinary tract fistulae. Br J Urol 44:644–656
Zmora O, Potenti FM, Wexner SD et al (2003) Gracilis muscle transposition for iatrogenic rectourethral fistula. Ann Surg 237:483–487
Blumberg JM, Lesser T, Tran VQ, Aboseif SR, Bellman GC, Abbas MA (2009) Management of rectal injuries sustained during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Urology 73:163–166
Hechenbleikner EM, Buckley JC, Wick EC (2013) Acquired rectourethral fistulas in adults: a systematic review of surgical repair techniques and outcomes. Dis Colon Rectum 56:374–383
Thomas C, Jones J, Jager W, Hampel C, Thuroff JW, Gillitzer R (2010) Incidence, clinical symptoms and management of rectourethral fistulas after radical prostatectomy. J Urol 183:608–612
Ghoniem G, Elmissiry M, Weiss E, Langford C, Abdelwahab H, Wexner S (2008) Transperineal repair of complex rectourethral fistula using gracilis muscle flap interposition-can urinary and bowel functions be preserved? J Urol 179:1882–1886
Borowiec AM, McCall M, Lees GM (2014) The trans-sphincteric posterior sagittal repair of recto-urinary and recto-vaginal fistulae using Surgisis mesh and fibrin sealant. Tech Coloproctol 18:201–203
Boushey RP, McLeod RS, Cohen Z (1998) Surgical management of acquired rectourethral fistula, emphasizing the posterior approach. Can J Surg 41:241–244
Elliott SP, McAninch JW, Chi T, Doyle SM, Master VA (2006) Management of severe urethral complications of prostate cancer therapy. J Urol 176:2508–2513
Solomon MJ, Tan KK, Bromilow RG, Wong JC (2014) Bilateral puborectalis interposition repair of rectourethral fistula. Dis Colon Rectum 57:133–139
Lesser T, Aboseif S, Abbas MA (2008) Combined endorectal advancement flap with Alloderm graft repair of radiation and cryoablation-induced rectourethral fistula. Am Surg 74:341–345
Conflict of interest
The authors have no financial disclosures. The authors received no funding or financial support for this project.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keller, D.S., Aboseif, S.R., Lesser, T. et al. Algorithm-based multidisciplinary treatment approach for rectourethral fistula. Int J Colorectal Dis 30, 631–638 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-015-2183-0
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-015-2183-0