Transvesical versus extravesical approach to laparoscopic posthysterectomy vesicovaginal fistula repair: A retrospective study from two medical centers.

BACKGROUND

The controversy on the best surgical approach for vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair remains due to the scarcity of high-level evidences. We aim to analyze the efficacy and safety of the laparoscopic transvesical (LT) and laparoscopic extravesical (LE) approaches to posthysterectomy VVF (PH-VVF).

METHODS

Data of 64 patients with PH-VVFs who were laparoscopicly treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University and the Hangzhou Third Hospital from January 2011 to November 2019 were retrospectively collected. The operative time (OT), estimated bleeding volume (EBV), postoperative bladder function and complications, hospital stay length (HSL), surgery success rate, and recurrence were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

In all, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between those two arms. Both approaches were successfully performed without open conversion in either group. The LT group was significantly corrected with a shorter mean OT than the LE group (p < 0.001), regardless of the fistula's position. No significant differences existed in the mean EBV and HSL between the two interventions (p = 0.136 and p = 0.210, respectively). The tendency of postoperative complications and success rates of surgery were also comparable in both groups. The patients in the LT group had similar bladder functions to those in LE group. The recurrence occurred in one patient in each arm during the follow-up periods of 12-36 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The LT approach is significantly related to a shorter OT than the LE approach without compromising the safety and success rates in repairing PH-VVF.