Recto-vaginal Fistula

[Kristyn]

Hi all. As per the subject--can someone please put this condition in perspective for me? I'm in Toronto, Canada where the cost of surgery is covered by our government. Just last week my funding has been approved, albeit verbally, by the people at CAMH--the facility which oversees and ultimately approves people for srs. My surgery will be with Brassard in Montreal and, although I'm quite aware of the various complications which can occur, I'm highly concerned about recto-vaginal fistula.

By one definition, recto-vaginal fistula occurs when the surgeon dissects too deeply or when one dilates improperly. According to Brassards new website--http://srsmontreal.com/--Brassard states that A RV fistula can occur after S.R.S. in one patient in 400. It will show up during the first 6 weeks after surgery.

By reading this, one gets the impression that Brassard takes every precaution necessary to avoid this condition and, if one were to suffer from this complication, it would most likely be caused from improper post-op care i.e. dialation, sex too early, etc.

Can anyone elaborate? How often does this occur? What are the odds of encountering RVF? Does anyone know of any Brassard patients who have suffered from this?

Thanks So Much!

Kristyn

[Flan]

it's pretty rare with an experienced surgeon (which brassard is) mostly from refinement of technique using blunt disection

image from another surgeon

as far as getting it from dilation, you shouldn't be using more pressure then your fingers can provide 

[Shelina]

BEURK!!! THE PIC ABOVE IS REALLY DISGUSTING, YUKS!

[Kristyn]

BEURK!!! THE PIC ABOVE IS REALLY ->-bleeped-<-ING DISGUSTING, YUKS!

I'll have to agree with you, there.  It's weird but, although I used to find these images hard to take, and to some degree I still do--they're beginning to fascinate me more than sicken or frighten me.  Not exactly sure what that means--it's not like I've seen a lot, and I've definitely never have seen anything like that one before!

BTW--to the previous poster.  Thanks for the input regarding RVF--I still want to hear from others as well

Thanks!

[LordKAT]

something that is possible to get from childbirth. So says my gyno from when I had a kid in a friends home.

[HelenW]

My 70 year old grandmother got one too, many years ago.  Since it's 1 in 400, your chances of having one is 0.25%  Not really all that big of a chance, don'tcha think?

hugs & smiles
Emelye

[lpfix2009]

Wow, that is a very graffic picture, I wouldn't like this 0.25% happening to me. Of course it's like cancer you might have a 0.25% chance it will happen.

[Kristyn]

My 70 year old grandmother got one too, many years ago.  Since it's 1 in 400, your chances of having one is 0.25%  Not really all that big of a chance, don'tcha think?

hugs & smiles
Emelye

Less than 1% -- now that puts things in a different light.   I'll have to ask Brassard how he got that figure during my consult.

~thanks~