Clinical Characteristics and Management of Neovaginal Fistulas After Vaginoplasty in Transgender Women.

OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience and results obtained in the management of neovaginal fistulas after vaginoplasty as gender reassignment surgery in transgender women.
METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of 1,082 transgender women who underwent 1,037 primary and 80 revision vaginoplasty procedures between 1990 and 2015. Thirty-five women underwent both primary and later revision vaginoplasty at our institution. Patient, clinical, surgical, and outcome characteristics were reviewed.
RESULTS: We treated 25 (2.3%) patients for 13 rectoneovaginal, 11 urethroneovaginal, and one pouch-neovaginal fistulas. Patients undergoing revision vaginoplasty were at higher risk of rectoneovaginal fistula development (0.8% compared with 6.3%, P<.01, odds ratio 8.6, 95% confidence interval 2.7-26.9). Of 23 intraoperatively identified and oversewn rectal perforations, four (17.4%) patients developed a rectoneovaginal fistula. In four patients, fecal diversion was achieved through temporary colostomy or ileostomy with direct (n=1) or delayed (n=3) fistula closure. In six patients, urethroneovaginal fistula arose after a complication such as meatal stenosis. Two patients underwent temporary suprapubic cystostomy for urinary diversion. In most patients, fistulectomy and primary closure or a local advancement flap was sufficient to treat the fistula.
CONCLUSION: Neovaginal fistulas are uncommon after vaginoplasty. Symptoms of neovaginal fistulas are comparable with those of vaginal fistulas. In most patients, the diagnosis can be made based on symptoms and physical examination alone. It seems that a complicated course (eg, intraoperative rectal perforation or meatal stenosis) predisposes for fistula formation. Surgical repair of neovaginal fistulas is associated with few intraoperative and postoperative complications and does not seem to impair neovaginal function.