Ten years of experience with Parks' coloanal sleeve anastomosis for the treatment of post-irradiation rectovaginal fistula.

Twenty-four cases of coloanal sleeve anastomosis for the repair of rectovaginal post-irradiation fistula are described. All patients were previously irradiated because of carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Eleven patients had simultaneous repair of vesicovaginal fistula. One postoperative death was observed. Of the 23 surviving patients, functional results were good in 18. In 16 patients with difficult stripping of the rectal mucosa, surgical curettage was performed. The latter procedure is suggested as a useful method in relevant cases.