Clinical procedures and practices used in the perioperative treatment of female genital fistula during a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment and care for female genital fistula have become increasingly available over the last decade in countries across Africa and South Asia. Before the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and partners published a global fistula training manual in 2011 there was no internationally recognized, standardized training curriculum, including perioperative care. The community of fistula care practitioners and advocates lacks data about the prevalence of various perioperative clinical procedures and practices and their potential programmatic implications are lacking. METHODS: Data presented here are from a prospective cohort study conducted between September 2007 and September 2010 at 11 fistula repair facilities supported by Fistula Care in five countries. Clinical procedures and practices used in the routine perioperative management of over 1300 women are described. RESULTS: More than two dozen clinical procedures and practices were tabulated. Some of them were commonly used at all sites (e.g., vaginal route of repair, 95.3% of cases); others were rare (e.g., flaps/grafts, 3.4%) or varied widely depending on site (e.g. for women with urinary fistula, the inter-quartile range for median duration of post-repair bladder catheterization was 14 to 29 days). CONCLUSIONS: These findings show a wide range of clinical procedures and practices with different program implications for safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. The variability indicates the need for further research so as to strengthen the evidence base for fistula treatment in developing countries.

Profiles and experiences of women undergoing genital fistula repair: findings from five countries.

This article presents data from 1354 women from five countries who participated in a prospective cohort study conducted between 2007 and 2010. Women undergoing surgery for fistula repair were interviewed at the time of admission, discharge, and at a 3-month follow-up visit. While women's experiences differed across countries, a similar picture emerges across countries: women married young, most were married at the time of admission, had little education, and for many, the fistula occurred after the first pregnancy. Median age at the time of fistula occurrence was 20.0 years (interquartile range 17.3-26.8). Half of the women attended some antenatal care (ANC); among those who attended ANC, less than 50% recalled being told about signs of pregnancy complications. At follow-up, most women (even those who were not dry) reported improvements in many aspects of social life, however, reported improvements varied by repair outcome. Prevention and treatment programmes need to recognise the supportive role that husbands, partners, and families play as women prepare for safe delivery. Effective treatment and support programmes are needed for women who remain incontinent after surgery.

Determinants of postoperative outcomes of female genital fistula repair surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of fistula repair outcomes 3 months postsurgery. METHODS: We conducted a multicountry prospective cohort study between 2007 and 2010. Outcomes, measured 3 months postsurgery, included fistula closure and residual incontinence in women with a closed fistula. Potential predictors included patient and fistula characteristics and context of repair. Multivariable generalized estimating equation models were used to generate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Women who returned for follow-up 3-month postsurgery were included in predictors of closure analyses (n=1,274). Small bladder size (adjusted RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.39-1.79), prior repair (adjusted RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.11-1.76), severe vaginal scarring (adjusted RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.20-2.04), partial urethral involvement (adjusted RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.11-1.66), and complete urethral destruction or circumferential defect (adjusted RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.33-2.23) predicted failed fistula closure. Women with a closed fistula at 3-month follow-up were included in predictors of residual incontinence analyses (n=1,041). Prior repair (adjusted RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.13-1.65), severe vaginal scarring (adjusted RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10-1.67), partial urethral involvement (adjusted RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.27-2.48), and complete urethral destruction or circumferential defect (adjusted RR 2.06, 95% CI 1.51-2.81) were significantly associated with residual incontinence. CONCLUSION: The prognosis for genital fistula closure is related to preoperative bladder size, previous repair, vaginal scarring, and urethral involvement.