Surgical Outcomes of Transvaginal Neobladder-Vaginal Fistula Repair After Radical Cystectomy with Ileal Orthotopic Neobladder: A Case–Control Study

PURPOSE: To present surgical methods and outcomes in women with bladder cancer (BCa) requiring correction of neobladder-vaginal fistula (NVF) after radical cystectomy (RC) with ileal orthotopic neobladder (IONB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 163 women who underwent RC with IONB for BCa between January 2010 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The presence of NVF was confirmed by cystoscopy and/or voiding cystography. NVF repair was performed using a transvaginal approach, which included circumferential incision of the fistula tract, creation of a plane between the neobladder serosa and the vaginal epithelium, and multi-layered transvaginal closure. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 47.9 months, NVF was identified in 12 (8.8%) of the 163 included women. Eight (66.7%) fistulas were located in the proximal anterior vaginal wall and four (33.3%) in the vaginal apex. Median time from RC to NVF repair was 3.4 months (range, 2.1–5.6 months), median NVF size was 6.0 mm (range, 4.0–22.0 mm), and median duration of urethral Foley catheter indwelling was 24.0 days (range, 15.0–43.0 days). Initial repair of NVF was successful in ten (83.3%) patients. Two (16.7%) patients who relapsed retained IONB through the subsequent operation. Two (16.7%) patients developed severe urinary incontinence after NVF repair, requiring anti-incontinence surgery with a synthetic transobturator mid-urethral sling. CONCLUSION: The transvaginal approach for NVF repair is feasible, yielding successful surgical outcomes. However, women should be counseled about the risks of relapse and urinary incontinence.