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We present the case of a vesicouterine fistula secondary to a caesarean section indicated due to the disproportion the pelvis and the head of the baby. This kind of fistula is due fundamentally to obstetric causes, especially to caesarean sections in developed countries and to prolonged labour in developing countries. The commonest clinical presentation is urinary incontinence in the form of continuous or intermittent urinary leaks. Surgical treatment is generally the therapy of choice, although, in the case of small fistulas, conservative treatment is feasible. The best form of prevention is correct indication of caesarean section and careful surgical technique.

We report the first case of a vesico-acetabular fistula observed with a septic arthritis of the left hip late treated in a 22-year-old man. The treatment of this fistula is surgical.

A case of colovesical fistula is reported. The anatomy of the pelvis was determined preoperatively with 3-D computed tomography (CT), and the fistula, including adjacent structures, could clearly be seen. Compared with conventional axial CT imaging, 3-D CT provided better and more complete visualization of the anatomical relationships, which facilitated the surgical procedure and provided a good outcome.

Herein we report on 1 more case of vesicouterine fistula following cesarean section with review and update of the literature concerning this unusual topic. The disease presented with vaginal urinary leakage, cyclic hematuria and amenorrhea. The fistula was successfully repaired by delayed surgery. Actually, all over the world the prevalence of the disease is increasing for the frequent use of the cesarean section. Fistulas may develop immediately after a cesarean section, manifest in the late puerperium or occur after repeated procedures. Spontaneous healing is reported in 5% of cases. Vesicouterine fistulas present with vaginal urinary leakage, cyclic hematuira (menouria), amenorrhea, infertility, and first trimester abortions. The diagnosis is ruled out by showing the fistulous track between bladder and uterus as well as by excluding other more frequent urogenital fistulas. The disease treatment options include conservative treatment as well as surgical repair. Rarely, patients refuse any kind of treatment because of the benignity of symptoms and prognosis of the disease. Conservative management by bladder catheterization for at least 4-8 weeks is indicated when the fistula is discoveredjust after delivery since there is good chance for spontaneous closure of the fistulous track. Hormonal management should be tried in women presenting with Youssef's syndrome. Surgery is the maninstay and definitive treatment of vesicouterine fistulas after cesarean section. Patients scheduled for surgery should undergo pretreatment of urinary tract infections. Surgical repair of vesico-uterine fistulas are performed by different approaches which include the vaginal, transvesical-retroperitoneal and transperitoneal access which is considered the most effective with the lowest relapse rate. Recently, laparoscopy has been proposed as a valid option for repairing vesicouterine fistulas. The endoscopic treatment may be effective in treating small vesicouterine fistulas. The pregnancy rate after repair is 31.25% with a rate of term deliveries of 25%. The disease may be prevented by emptying the bladder as well as by carefully dissecting the lower uterine segment. It is advisable that after vesicouterine fistula repair delivery should be performed by repeating a cesarean section since the risk of fistula recurrence. Usually, vesicouterine fistulas are diagnosed postoperatively. As a result, at least 95% of patients will undergo another operation for repairing the fistula. In the meantime they are bothered by related symptoms which impair their quality of life. As far as we are concerned intraoperative diagnosis is the gold standard in detecting vesicouterine fistulas for allowing immediate repair. We propose intraoperative sonography by the transvaginal (or transrectal) route for the Foley transurethral catheter producing bloody urine, for suspecting bladder injury while dissecting the uterine lower segment and for monitoring patients who already had had vesicouterine fistula repair. As a result patients will avoid the familial and social problems related to the disease as well another operation. Moreover, ultrasound Doppler examination may help in better investigating and understanding the pathophysiology of vesicouterine fistulas.

Background: Most fistulas communicating with the bladder are large enough to be diagnosed easily, or small enough to close spontaneously without clinical sequel. A vesicocervical fistula is an uncommon event and may be difficult to diagnose., Technique: During an operative cystourethroscopy procedure, suspicious areas of the bladder can be probed with a cone tip catheter and injected with contrast dye to visualize the suspected fistula communicating with the bladder., Experience: This technique was employed when a double dye test, an intravenous urogram, a cystogram, a computed tomography scan, and a hysterogram failed to localize the fistulous tract in a patient who was 3 weeks postpartum after a repeat cesarean with complaint of persistent urinary incontinence., Conclusion: Cystoscopic catheterization of suspicious lesions in the bladder may visualize an otherwise elusive fistulous tract.

Aim: Standard diagnostic tools for vesico-intestinal fistulas are cystoscopy, cystography, colonoscopy, and contrast enema. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of transrectal 3D-ultrasound with contrast media in these patients., Method: From 5/98 to 12/99 we examined 10 patients with symptoms of a vesico-intestinal fistula (pneumaturia, faecaluria). After placement of a transurethral catheter a transabdominal ultrasound examination (Kretz Combison 530) was performed with the bladder half full to evaluate the bladder wall. Then the bladder was filled with diluted ultrasound contrast media (Levovist 40 mg/ml) to visualize the flow from the bladder towards the fistula. To verify a flow through the bladder wall a colour Doppler sonography of the region of interest was added. To evaluate form and extent of the fistula a transrectal ultrasound with 3D-image assessment was performed., Results: Using this technique it was possible to demonstrate a vesico-intestinal fistula in 9 of 10 patients. In all cases these findings were confirmed by the standard diagnostic procedures. The fistulas were caused by: bladder carcinoma (n = 1), carcinoma of the colon (n = 2), Crohn's disease (n = 3) and diverticulitis of the sigma (n = 3). One patient presented with a neovesico-intestinal fistula in an irradiated local recurrence of bladder carcinoma. In one patient with Crohn's disease whose only symptom was pneumaturia all diagnostic tools failed to provide the diagnosis., Conclusion: For the first time vesico-intestinal fistulas could be demonstrated by ultrasound with 3D-image assessment using contrast media. This technique might be an effective addition to the standard diagnostics of vesico-intestinal fistulas reducing the exposure to radiation.

We report the case of a 74-year-old man with a colovesical fistula caused by a gallstone that was lost during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy 7 months earlier. The patient was cured after undergoing colonoscopic removal of the stone. To our knowledge this is the first case report of such a complication in the English literature. The report reviews the outcome and complications of retained intraperitoneal gallstones.

Vesico-uterine fistula is a very rare complication of lower caesarean section. There has only been two cases seen at the Department of Urology in the past 2 decades. Patients usually present in the early post operative period with the problem of continuous urinary incontinence. On the rare occasion, recurrent urinary tract infection, recurrent gross painless haematuria, or secondary infertility associated with secondary amenorrhoea would be the presenting complaint.

Background: In pregnancy, vesicouterine fistulas usually are diagnosed postpartum after cesarean deliveries., Case: An 18-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2, with two prior cesarean deliveries had pain and apparent rupture of membranes at 23 weeks' gestation. At 26 weeks' gestation, she developed increasing suprapubic pain and irregular contractions. Ultrasonographic findings included a small uterine defect and possible ballooning of membranes into her bladder. Cytoscopy showed ballooning of amnion into the bladder dome. A viable 900-g female infant was delivered by classic cesarean, the fistulous tract was excised, and the rupture sites were repaired., Conclusion: Vesicouterine fistulas might be diagnosed antenatally. With continued contractions and associated uterine rupture, cesarean delivery can be done with excision of the fistulous tract and repair of the rupture sites.

Objectives: Nonhazardous enteral administration of indocyanine green solution was performed to detect enterovesical occult microfistulas in patients with Crohn's disease before the fistulas had become readily apparent., Methods: A total of 12 patients with Crohn's disease who were suspected from their clinical manifestations of having enterovesical fistulas underwent study. For detection of the fistulas after oral or rectal administration of the indocyanine green solution, urine was collected and examined using a colorimeter to check for contamination with indocyanine green. The effectiveness of the indocyanine green test and conventional x-ray study was compared., Results: The indocyanine green test was positive after either oral or rectal administration in 11 of the 12 patients, providing a rate of accurate diagnosis of 92 percent (11/12 patients). In contrast, the rate of accurate diagnosis using the x-ray study was only 17 percent (2/12 patients). Furthermore, in eight patients with occult fistulas, accurate diagnosis could be made in none using the x-ray study, whereas all showed positive results with use of the indocyanine green test., Conclusions: The ability to diagnose obscure fistulas using the indocyanine green test was 92 percent. This indocyanine green test was highly diagnostic, whereas conventional examinations are often complicated and much less diagnostic.

A rare case of sigmoido-vesical fistula manifested clinically by dysuria and haematuria is presented. The diagnostic difficulties caused by incorrect sequence of image diagnostics is emphasized.

Contribution of two new cases of vesicouterine fistula secondary to a cesarean incision. In one case, diagnosis was achieved through cystography and cystoscopy, while in the second case cystography, cystoscopy and stain testing (methylene blue) were used. In both cases management was through transperitoneal and transvesical fistulorrhaphy. The two cases showed favourable post-operative evolution with no relapse.

Vesicouterine fistula (Youssef's syndrome), a rare complication of cesarean section is presented. A 33-year-old female had vesicouterine fistula with symptoms of amenorrhoea and cyclic haematuria following cesarean section. The patient was treated by hysterectomy and the fistula tract was repaired.

Spontaneous abdominal wall fistulas are rare in Crohn's disease. We report a case of enterourachocutaneous fistula in a woman with Crohn's disease and present the sonographic, computed tomographic, and sinographic findings.

Purpose: Use of 3-dimensional tomographic reconstruction in evaluating colovesical fistulas is discussed., Materials and Methods: We compared 3-dimensional computerized tomographic (CT) images of colovesical fistulas to conventional CT images., Results: Successful surgical repair was facilitated by preoperative radiographic data., Conclusions: Three-dimensional CT reconstruction provides superior spacial detail and can clarify complex anatomical relationships preoperatively.

Appendicovesical fistula is a rare complication of acute appendicitis in children that is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. A 21-month-old boy with signs and symptoms of recurrent urinary tract infections underwent abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), barium enema examination, and cystography, none of which was sufficient to establish a diagnosis; an appendicovesical fistula was demonstrated by laparoscopy. The patient underwent open appendectomy, with resection of the fistula through a small incision, and has recovered without complications.

Our purpose is to make a case for early operative intervention. A 37-year-old man presented with a large periurethral abscess and Fournier's gangrene. During the ensuing evaluation and treatment, he was found to have previously undiagnosed Crohn's disease with a complex enterovesical fistula. This case stands in contrast to other reports that downplay the morbidity of enterovesical fistula associated with Crohn's disease and advise medical management until gastrointestinal complications require operative intervention.

A 73-year-old male presented with a 2 week history of gross haematuria and faecal material in the urine. Bone scan for cancer work-up showed 99T(cm)-MDP radioactivity accumulation in the transverse and descending colon. A 99T(cm)-DTPA diuretic renogram was arranged to study renal function and to determine the location of the enterovesical fistula. Diuretic renography demonstrated extraurinary tract radioactivity in the sigmoid colon in the early images, extending to the descending and transverse colon in the subsequent dynamic images. A sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma with bladder wall invasion and fistula formation was confirmed at surgical operation. The impressive dynamic diuretic renography study in this patient was helpful in determining the location of the fistula and in planning surgical management.

Urine leakage from the umbilicus was observed while expressing urine by the Crede manoeuvre in a three-year-old tetraplegic girl with a chronically distended urinary bladder. Intravenous urography (IVU) revealed bilateral hydroureteronephrosis with markedly distended urinary bladder. Regular three hourly intermittent catheterization was advised, and the parents and carers of this child agreed to perform catheterization. There was cessation of urine leak within 48 hours of urethral drainage. Cystography performed two weeks later showed no vesicoureteric reflux; vesicoumbilical fistula was no longer demonstrable. Follow-up IVU, performed after eight and half months of regular intermittent catheterization, showed regression of hydroureteronephrosis. We believe that urine leakage from the umbilicus served two important protective functions in this child, viz. (1) it prevented possible vesical or renal rupture; (2) the striking clinical symptom of urine leak from the umbilicus focussed the attention of the carers to the underlying serious condition of the urinary tract. Further, this case demonstrates that regression of marked hydroureteronephrosis can be achieved by intermittent catheterization performed at regular intervals by devoted parents/carers, in selected cases of spinal cord injury with neuropathic bladder, and vesical outlet obstruction, thus obviating the need for any form of temporary or permanent urinary diversion.

We report a vesico-uterine fistula occurring after vaginal delivery in a woman with previous cesarean section. Diagnosis of this rare complication, only 2 cases reported in the literature, is based on clinical findings and retrograde cystography. Medical treatment should be attempted first, but laparotomy is often required for resection of the fistula and simple suture of the bladder and the uterus.

We describe a 22-year-old man with Crohn's ileocolitis accompanied by intestinal stenosis and ileovesical fistula in whom laparoscopically-assisted surgery was successfully performed after thorough nutritional therapy. Laparoscopic procedures are characterized by minimal access and minimal invasion, features which can contribute to the early recovery of patients who undergo surgery. It is suggested that laparoscopic (or laparoscopically-assisted) surgery after strict nutritional therapy can be effective in the treatment of patients with Crohn's disease who have intestinal complications.

Recently, sigmoidovesical fistula is not a rare disease as a result of the change of our food style and increase in the age ratio. However, in general, the preoperative image diagnosis is difficult. We have experienced three cases of sigmoidovesical fistula, examined by barium enema, cystography, upper gastrointestinal series, cystoscopy, colonic fiberscopy and computed tomography. The fistulas were identified preoperatively by the 24-hour delayed film of upper gastrointestinal series. By this method, the regions of sigmoidovesical fistula were identified, and the patients were operated. We concluded that the 24-hour delayed film in upper gastrointestinal series might be useful to diagnose the sigmoidovesical fistula.

Enterovesical fistula is a known complication of several conditions involving the bowel or the genitourinary system. Its occurrence with primary small-bowel lymphoma is rare. The authors report a case of enterovesical fistula associated with secondary small-bowel non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. They review the criteria for classification of small-bowel lymphoma as primary or secondary and discuss the radiologic findings consistent with enterovesical fistula, with reference to the role of computed tomography as the initial radiologic study.

The repair of rectourinary fistulas is frequently a matter of great difficulty. We report the case of a young man who sustained a shotgun wound to his pelvis and developed a fistula from the bladder neck to the rectum, which was repaired by a combined transabdominal and posterior sagittal transrectal approach. We recommend that this procedure should be part of the surgical armamentarium available to deal with such complicated lesions.

Two cases of colovesical fistulae secondary to colonic diverticulosis are reported. Urinary symptoms were the prominent presenting features. Barium enema was helpful in documenting the fistulae, which cystoscopically was not localised. Definitive treatment included resection of the fistula and the diseased segment of the intestine. Both patients are well on follow-up. Diverticulosis coli should be considered in the differential diagnosis of colovesical fistulae even in tropical countries.

We present a case of urinary bladder fistulization which occurred approximately 25 yr after successful radiation therapy for uterine carcinoma. The extensive fistulas were detected with 111In-oxine-labeled white blood cell scintigraphy and were confirmed with a fistulogram, computed tomography and surgery. Scintigraphy was valuable for both initial detection as well as staging the extent of inflammation for subsequent diagnostic studies and surgical resection.

Vesicouterine fistulas are a rare complication of obstetrical-gynecological interventions and are the least common of the acquired urogenital fistulas. They are almost solely associated with cesarean section. A case is reported in which a patient with adenomyosis and pelvic adhesions presented with menouria (vesical menstruation) after uterine biopsy. A vesicocorporeal fistula was demonstrated by cystography and CT and confirmed by cystoscopy and hysteroscopy.

Internal fistula is a complication of Crohn's disease. Among 589 patients operated upon at Hôpital Saint-Antoine between 1970 and 1992, 17 (2.9%) had entero-vesical fistula. Ileovesical fistulas were twice as frequent as sigmoidovesical fistulas. Typical symptoms were pneumaturia, fecaluria, and recurrent urinary tract infection. Cystoscopy was performed in 8 patients and determined the site of the fistula in each case. The indication for operation was the fistula itself (35%) or another complication of Crohn's disease (65%). Associated lesions were as follows: 6 entero-enteral, 2 ileogenital, 5 enterocutaneous fistulas and 6 intraabdominal abscesses. Resection of the bowel segment responsible for the fistula was performed in every case, with primary anastomosis in 9 cases and enterostomy in 8 cases. The vesical opening was excised and sutured in 10 cases and left open in 7 cases. An urethral catheter was left in place for at least 7 days. There was no postoperative death; one postoperative external vesical fistula healed without reoperation. Seven enterostomies have been closed, one is definitive. There were no late recurrences of vesical fistula.

We reviewed 9 consecutive patients with colovesical fistula secondary to diverticulitis during a 2-year period. Preoperative evaluation included computerized tomography (CT) and a barium enema or colonoscopy in all patients (8 underwent cystoscopy). All patients subsequently underwent laparotomy with a single or multiple staged repair. Using CT criteria for diagnosis of colovesical fistulas, the study accurately predicted the presence and location of fistula in 8 patients, and was suspicious in 1. Findings at cystoscopy only diagnosed 3 fistulas and were suspicious in 4. The remaining diagnostic tests, including excretory urography, barium enema, abdominal plain films, colonoscopy and cystogram, were unremarkable except for a single cystogram and barium enema. In addition to documenting the fistula, CT provided important intraluminal and extraluminal pathological findings helpful in planning subsequent surgery. Thus, CT should be included in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected colovesical fistula.

A case of an extraperitoneal injury of the urinary bladder by an endoscopical sterilization of the fallopian tubes is reported. The occurrence of clinical symptoms in a temporary difference to operation makes diagnosis of this rare complication difficult.

The authors report the various locations (ileal, appendicular, colic, rectal and through Meckel diverticulum) of the fistulas between the bladder and the digestive tract and specify the mainly inflammatory etiologies and specifically those due to the Crohn disease or those caused by tumors aggravated by irradiation and repeated surgery.

In the literature many different ways are described of treating rectal injured during radical prostatectomy. Therefore, following this procedure we evaluated our patients with rectal injuries. Rectal injury occurred in 16 of 299 patients with radical prostatectomy for treatment of localized prostate cancer. Seven developed a vesicorectal fistula, 4 of whom needed no further surgical intervention. Only 3 (1%) had to undergo an additional operation.

A new operative technique that uses ultrasonography during sacroperineal or sacroabdominoperineal anorectoplasty was performed on seven patients with an intermediate or high anorectal malformation. Ultrasonography was used for the purpose of making a pull-through tunnel under visual guidance. The results of this technique were evaluated by computed tomography scanning to find the anatomic position of the pulled-through rectum in relation to the anal sphincter muscle. Postoperative computed tomography scans showed that the rectum was correctly placed in the center of the sphincter muscle in all patients.

The authors analyze x-ray findings in 194 patients with colonic diverticulosis and its inflammatory complications. Clinical, x-ray, and morphologic studies helped the authors to specify the x-ray semeiotics of diverticulitis, paraintestinal infiltrates, intestinal fistulas. An optimal complex of radiological methods to detect each of these complications has been developed. The authors claim that irrigoscopy supplemented, if necessary, with simultaneous fistulography, or oral enterography is the priority and basic method for the diagnosis of inflammatory complications of colonic diverticulosis.

During 12 consecutive months, 680 patients with recent pelvic symptoms were examined with ultrasonography (US). In 44 patients we found evidence of intestinal disease; 19 of them exhibited pelvic complications--11 pelvic abscesses, 3 enterovesical fistulas, 2 enterovaginal fistulas and 1 enterovesicle fistula; in 11 cases the inflammation spread to the surrounding organs. Of these 19 patients, 8 had an intestinal disease in their case history, whereas symptom onset was recent in the other 11 patients. In the latter group US yielded the first diagnostic information showing a bowel disease and other diagnostic examinations with different techniques were therefore performed. In 15 patients US indicated which type of bowel disease had caused the pelvic complications, while in 4 patients US showed a bowel disease without differentiating diverticular disease from neoplasms. In all patients US results were compared with X-ray and CT findings. In 17 patients the diagnoses were confirmed at surgery. The results we obtained from this study indicate US as an accurate method to detect not only the various pelvic conditions but also to differentiate pelvic complications of intestinal conditions from diseases originating in the pelvic organs.