ABSTRACT
Background: Management of complex genital fistulae is challenging due to the cost and technical skill required. This study reports our experience in the management of patients with complex genital fistulae and to highlight the crucial role of the reconstructive urologists.Methods: This was a retrospective review of female patients managed at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria from 2006 to 2017 for complex urinary fistulae. Data were extracted from patient case notes and the data analysed using the SPSS software.Results: Twenty-four female patients mean age 28.9±11.1 years. Fistulae resulted from prolonged obstructed labour 10 (41.6%), caesarean hysterectomy 7 (29.2%), caesarean section and abdominal hysterectomy 2 (8.4%) respectively. The fistulae were vesicovaginal 16 (66.7%), ureterovaginal 3 (12.5%). Others were vesicocutaneous, urethrovaginal and rectovaginal. Prior attempts at repair were done in 7 (29.2%) and the number of attempts ranged from 1 to 4. Surgical procedures included direct closure in 9 (37.5%), closure and uretero-neocystostomy 7 (29.2%), uretero-neocystostomy only 3 (12.5%) closure and abdominal hysterectomy 2 (8.3%), closure and continent catheterizable neo-bladder 2 (8.3%) and 1 (4.2%) closure, abdominal hysterectomy and uretero-neocystostomy. Post-operative complications were noted in 2 (8.3%) and consisted of gynaeatresia and recurrent RVF. Repair was successful in 70.8% of patients while failed repair was recorded in 16.7% and while stress incontinence was present in 12.5%.Conclusions: Complex genital fistulae in our practice are of obstetric origin involving the bladder, ureters and rectum. The reconstructive urologist has a crucial role the management for a favourable outcome.
ABSTRACT
Background: Urethral stricture is an abnormal narrowing or loss of distensibility of any segment of the urethra surrounded by corpus spongiosum. In the last two decades, there has been a change in the pattern of aetiology of urethral stricture in urban centres in Nigeria with a shift away from post-infective strictures to the emergence of traumatic and iatrogenic causes.Objective: This study aims to present our observation of the occurrence of long-segment urethral strictures in patients after urethral catheter placement for various indications.Methodology: This is a descriptive, cross sectional report of patients who presented to and were managed at the Urology Unit of a tertiary hospital in North-Western Nigeria. Relevant information were retrieved from patients' case notes and the data was entered into a proforma and analysed using the SPSS 20 software.Results: The mean age of the patients was 45.4 ± 19.4 years, with a range of 11-80 years. Indications for urethral catheterization were acute urine retention 11 (43.8%), intra-operative urine output monitoring 9 (28.1%), following road traffic accident 10(31.2%), unconsciousness secondary to meningitis 1 (3.1%) and after urologic surgery 1 (3.1%). Urethral catheterization was carried out in peripheral hospitals in 19 (56.3%) patients; and from the hospitals operating room in 10 (31.2%), accident and emergency room 2 (6.3%) and trauma centre 1 (3.1%). Strictures were panurethral in 22 (68.75%), in the bulbar urethra in 6 (18.75%) and in the penile urethra 4 (12.5%). The length of strictures ranged from 1 cm to 20 cm. Treatments offered included substitution urethroplasty using oral mucosa grafts (OMG) urethroplasty 30 (93.8%), fasciocutaneous penile flap 1 (3.1%) and direct visual internal urethrotomy (DVIU)1 (3.1%). Satisfactory voiding was recorded in 28 (87.5%), voiding was unsatisfactory in 2 (6.3%), while one patient had stricture recurrence and another one is awaiting second stage repair.Conclusion: Urethral catheterization is an emerging cause of panurethral strictures in our practice and may occur even after relief of acute urine retention but more worrisome following short-term catheterization during surgery. There is need for evaluation of the quality of silicone-coated latex urethral catheters currently available