A vesicovaginal fistula is an abnormal connection between the bladder and the vagina. Symptoms may include pain, incontinence and discharge. After a doctor has confirmed the vesicovaginal fistula through a physical exam and an X-ray, the patient will require surgery to repair the condition. There are certain factors that cause a woman to be predisposed to developing a vesicovaginal fistula.
Features
With a vesicovaginal fistula, an abnormal connection will cause the urine from the bladder to make its way into the vagina. This can cause the patient to experience difficulty urinating or find that she has an abnormal urine stream. There will be inflammation at the site, and the physician is likely to wait an average of two to three months after diagnosis to operate.
Time Frame
Typically, a vesicovaginal fistula will appear within one to three weeks after the woman has gone through some type of gynecological surgery. These surgeries may include a hysterectomy, vaginal child birth or a Caesarean section.
Considerations
Other types of surgeries can cause a vesicovaginal fistula besides gynecological procedures, including radiation therapies and cancer operations. Although these procedures can lead to a vesicovaginal fistula, they are often not diagnosed until some time after the therapy, sometimes not until years later. However, gynecological surgeries cause 75 percent of the cases of vesicovaginal fistula in the United States and other industrialized nations. In developing countries, these statistics differ due to availability of medical supplies and treatments. Exact figures are unknown due to lack of medical statistics from these countries.
Geography
Geography plays a role in the causes of vesicovaginal fistula on an international level. Within industrialized countries, gynecological and cancer surgeries are the most common reasons a woman will develop a vesicovaginal fistula. However, in developing countries, prolonged periods of labor are the most common cause of the condition.
Effects
Other medical conditions can cause a woman to develop a vesicovaginal fistula. Additional causes of vesicovaginal fistula include vaginal trauma, misaligned pelvis and an inflammatory disease.
