Rectal fistulas appear after operations on the rectum (polyps - tumors) or after natural childbirth and perineotomy, also after radiation to the anus area.
Their treatment is quite difficult most of the time and there is also a tendency to relapse.
An effective technique to treat these cases is the use of a Martius flap consisting of fat taken from the area of the labia majora and inserted between the vagina and the intestine.
It is a complex technique which requires:
- Separation of the vagina from the intestine
- Suturing the mouth of the fistula to the intestine and the vagina respectively
- Taking a fatty tissue graft with good blood supply from the area of the labia majora and placing it between the intestine and the vagina
The results of the technique are very good in complex rectovaginal fistulas and it surpasses simple methods in effectiveness.
