Salvage irrigation-suction in gracilis muscle repair of complex rectovaginal and rectourethral fistulas

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy of gracilis muscle transposition and postoperative salvage irrigation-suction in the treatment of complex rectovaginal fistulas(RVFs)and rectourethral fistulas(RUFs).METHODS:Between May 2009 and March 2012,11female patients with complex RVFs and 8 male patients with RUFs were prospectively enrolled.Gracilis muscle transposition was undertaken in all patients and postoperative wound irrigation-suction was performed in patients with early leakage.Efficacy was assessed in terms of the success rate and surgical complications.SF-36 quality of life(QOL)scores and Wexner fecal incontinence scores were compared before and after surgery.RESULTS:The fistulas healed in 14 patients after gracilis muscle transposition;the initial healing rate was73.7%.Postoperative leakage occurred and continuous irrigation-suction of wounds was undertaken in 5patients:4 healed and 1 failed,and postoperative fecal diversions were performed for the patient whose treatment failed.At a median follow-up of 17 mo,the overall healing rate was 94.7%.Postoperative complications occurred in 4 cases.Significant improvement was observed in the quality outcomes framework scores(P<0.001)and Wexner fecal incontinence scores(P=0.002)after the successful healing of complex RVFs or RUFs.There was no significant difference in SF-36 QOL scores between the initial healing group and irrigationsuction-assisted healing group.CONCLUSION:Gracilis muscle transposition and postoperative salvage wound irrigation-suction gained a high success rate in the treatment of complex RVFs and RUFs.QOL and fecal incontinence were significantly improved after the successful healing of RVFs and RUFs.