Evaluation of Surgical Approaches in the Treatment of Vesicovaginal Fistulas: Retrospective Case Series
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is an important urogenital complication that significantly impairs women's quality of life.The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with VVF who underwent surgical treatment in our clinic and to compare the success rates of different surgical approaches. Material and Methods: Between January 2017-May 2025, a total of 37 female patients diagnosed with VVF at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Department of Urology, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with advanced age (>80 years), severe comorbidities, or terminal-stage malignancies were excluded. Surgical approaches included endoscopic, intravesical, and extravesical techniques. Age, fistula size, catheterization time, localization, and recurrence rates were compared between groups. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26, and p<0.05 was considered significant. Ethical approval was obtained from the Non-Interventional Ethics Committee of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University. Results: Twenty-three patients underwent extravesical repair and 14 underwent intravesical repair. Although the mean fistula size was significantly larger in the extravesical group (p=0.049), recurrence was significantly more frequent in the intravesical group (p=0.012). No significant differences were observed between the groups regarding age, catheterization time, or timing of surgery. Conclusion: Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for VVF. Extravesical repair, especially with the use of an omental flap interposition, was associated with higher success and lower recurrence rates. Early surgery may also be safely performed in patients with favorable tissue quality.
Institution: Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi
Language: English
Subfield: Urology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7203584918