1 Sep 2015Case Report
Treatment of recto-vesical fistula by transanal endoscopic microsurgery approach
Giancarlo D’Ambrosio 1Gianfrancesco Intini 1Andrea Picchetto 1Salvatore Campo 1Andrea Balla 1Silvia Quaresima 1Alessandro Paganini 1Emanuele Lezoche 1
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Department of General Surgery, Surgical Specialties and Organ Transplantation “Paride Stefanini”, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2015, 86(5), 456-458;
Published: 1 Sep 2015
Copyright © 2015 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Rectovesical Fistula (RVF) is a rare major surgery complication. Despite different techniques have been proposed as yet there is still no standard treatment. Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery provides a magnified three-dimensional vision and it is less invasive than the traditional surgical procedure used in RVF treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 62 years-old man, who developed a rectovesical fistula after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, underwent TEM-assisted RVF repair by full-thickness excision and both bladder and rectal wall suture. The patients had a temporary ileostomy RESULTS: The patient could ambulate on day one, was fed on day three and was discharged on day 10 with the indwelling bladder catheter left in place. The ileostomy was taken down and the catheter removed three months later when colonoscopy and cystoscopy showed no rvf recurrence. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: From 2004, only ten cases of TEM-assisted treatment of RVF are reported with three recurrences and good results even in patients who had already undergone previous surgical attempts. TEM is safe and effective. It provides a tension free suture line on healthy tissue with adequate hemostasis and it may be a good alternative in the treatment of rectovesical fistula.
Keywords
- Endoscopic Surgery
- Microsurgery
- Recto-vesical Fistula
- Transanal Endoscopic