Here is what I found about this doctor work? Scares me to death
http://www.thescavenger.net/queer/when-sex-realignment-surgery-goes-wrong-93746.html

you found out that a very very rare condition does in fact happen, even to what the writer herself refers to as one of the very best in the field?

This is true of EVERY surgery. It's true that all the pitfalls of aftercare she notes are not the same for every surgery - but the actual incidence of a rare complications is there for every sort of surgery including much less invasive ones.

Everything in life has risks.

The writer makes a good case for improving the after-care process (and the training and certification process) but I don't think it's news that there are sometimes complications (fortunately, seldom as devastating as that one)

Those things can happen of course but that is why people pay top dollars to avoid them. I can imagine that it is caused by rough work. Causing perforation of a bowel can only happen due to rough work... Does this happen often to Dr Bowers? Does she have any official article where she states the complication rate in her patients?

the author of the article stated that in pre-op counseling they told her it had only ever happened to Dr. B once before. And she does 200 procedures a year.

I read that, but having something said and having something put in writing as an official document or case study are two very different things... I am saying all of this because I suffered a horror after a cosmetic surgery and I am just doing a very careful research. I ended up in court with my doctor and I found out that he has lied to me about many things that he told me during the preoperative consultation. After that experience I am very cautious with well advertised doctors who are very convincing during the consultations. Especially those saying complications are not a real option.

All medical procedures carry risk, and the goal of the art of medicine being risk reduction during refining the practice. rectovaginal fistula could happen to any surgeon due to ways of forming the vaginal space. Bowers was singled out in the article because she lacked the ability to correctly repair the defect which in turn made it worse for other surgeons attempting to repair her work.

studies to complications of vaginoplasty and related procedures vary depending on the region and techniques preferred by surgeons. I put in our wiki article on this known complications although not percentages because of the nature of the surgery.

This all sounds shocking to me. The patient states that the rupture was 2" big and that she noticed that there was blood and feces coming out of her vagina after the surgery. That means that Dr. Bowers had overlooked 2" rupture, and then did an emergency surgery failing to correct the fistula. Even if a bowel rupture happens it should be noticed and corrected during the initial surgery... I now remember that when she was removing the vagina of a transman in a sex change hospital documentary she caused a bladder rupture and she was correcting it during the surgery...

Worth pointing out, is that it wasn't the surgery itselft that was done wrong, but that a tare occured when removing a contractor;

QuoteIn my case, there probably was not really quite enough space to allow for the proper thickness of septum between the new vaginal wall and the rectal wall. A slight tear in my colon from a retractor, was all that was necessary to compromise an otherwise flawless procedure.

Also, the writer do not blame Bowers;

QuoteI am not writing this to slam the physician who did my SRS. Far from it, she is a dear friend. We have shared much together, laughing, and holding each other; the two of us have grappled for footing. We have cried together, and yes, yelled at each other. She is an icon in the transgender community and hero to many transsexuals. She is also perhaps the most accomplished of the surgeons doing primary SRS in the United States.

However, even a surgeon as accomplished as mine cannot overcome obstacles that she has no training for and little experience in resolving. There are unseen and unsaid barriers too that come into play when someone with complications from SRS must seek treatment aside from their original surgeon.

In any case, it turned out extremely unfortunate for this chick, and I really hope that she eventually manage to get it repaired all for once, although it indeed doesnät look too good.

It was a long time ago this thread was active but anyhow.
I just have been unlucky enough to get a recto vaginal fistula. It happened after the packing was changed and a soft "cushion" was set in. Until than I had made fast recovery and was feeling well.
My surgeon is the best in my country (Sweden) and really competent. The operation itself went fine.
I feel lucky in my terrible destiny. I was operated directly the next morning and there was 2 plastic surgeons and one recto colon surgeon present. They worked for hours and it seems that the result is good comparing. I seem to heal fine and have no infection.
They directly put a colostomy and took away some of the depth of the vagina and dilation is forbidden so my vagina has closed.
This is all very new and a big blow after all those years waiting and working towards my SRS. But I don´t regret it. Looking at the bright side of things I am happy to get rid of my penis. Don´t miss it a bit. I was also able to pee without pain from the very first time they removed my catheter. My clitoris is very sensitive. I think it will look good after the second operation. I can have nice underwear and tights. It does feel like my genitals even if it´s still healing and a little swollen. I am not ashamed about my condition.
Life is not fair nor easy but it still goes on. I have many fantastic friends and great parents.
->-bleeped-<- happens and than we deal with it.

I am sorry to hear about your experience You are totally right about life but we must fight and never give in. When are you getting your colostomy closed? Will it be done with colon vaginoplasty or without? I wish you a successful recovery.

The date for closing the colostomy is not set. There was a little damage to the anal muscle and it has to heal. They say 3-6 months. The muscle will be checked with ultrasound. How they check how the fistula heals inside the rectum I don´t know yet. It seems to be doing fine right now.
I have decided to wait with the reconstruction of the vagina if I ever will do it. Probably I wont even do it. Gone through those two operations so close together and with this recovery afterwords and still the colon to be reconnected and the second operation for clitoral hood and inner labia to come I feel I´ve had my share of operations. When I think about dilating now it makes me terrified. I am still a bit worried and stiff about something going wrong and dilating would make me so nervous. It feels a little odd that I will not have the depth that my body some how was longing for but as being mostly lesbian it is not the end of the world for my sexuality. I think if I was totally straight it would be much more devastating. But I do feel a little incomplete, but that is not a new feeling as a transsexual. I never believed in becoming "whole" anyway. I think that feeling is not possible for humans.
So now I am just looking forward for successful healing of my fistula and getting rid of my colostomy. And the second stage of my srs to make it look good. My surgeon said I could still have a little depth left which would be possible to try to dilate a little.

I would like to say also that I would still recommend SRS if it feels really necessary. I don´t want to scare anyone with my story. Just think that it is important to talk about too. The chance is small and I just had really bad luck.

It is weird how we forget the bad things easily after they are over. All of this will be just history in a few months but stay strong until it is over. I am having my SRS in a month and even though it is a rare complication I am psychologically ready to handle it if it happens. I wish you a fast recovery and success with any further operations. Keep us up to date with your progress.