The Journal of Urology
Volume 181, Issue 4 , Pages 1725-1731 , April 2009

Genitourinary Fistula Experience in Sierra Leone: Review of 505 Cases

  • Alyona Lewis

      Affiliations

    • West Africa Fistula Foundation, Choithram Memorial Hospital at Hill Station, Freetown, Sierra Leone
    • Current address: 3621 Pottsboro Rd., No. 150, Denison, Texas 75020 (e-mail: www.westafricafistulafoundation.org).
    • ,
  • Melissa R. Kaufman

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
    • ,
  • Christopher E. Wolter

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
    • ,
  • Sharon E. Phillips

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
    • ,
  • Darius Maggi

      Affiliations

    • West Africa Fistula Foundation, Choithram Memorial Hospital at Hill Station, Freetown, Sierra Leone
    • Current address: 3621 Pottsboro Rd., No. 150, Denison, Texas 75020 (e-mail: www.westafricafistulafoundation.org).
    • ,
  • Leesa Condry

      Affiliations

    • West Africa Fistula Foundation, Choithram Memorial Hospital at Hill Station, Freetown, Sierra Leone
    • Current address: 3621 Pottsboro Rd., No. 150, Denison, Texas 75020 (e-mail: www.westafricafistulafoundation.org).
    • ,
  • Roger R. Dmochowski

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
    • Financial interest and/or other relationship with Allergan, Astellas, Novartis, Pfizer and Watson.
    • ,
  • Joseph A. Smith Jr.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
    • Corresponding Author InformationDepartment of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, A-1302 Medical Center North, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2765 (telephone: 615-322-0234; FAX: 615-322-8990)

Received 16 August 2008

References 

  1. Wall LL. Obstetric vesicovaginal fistula as an international public-health problem. Lancet. 2006;368:1201
  2. de Bernis L. Obstetric fistula: guiding principles for clinical management and programme development, a new WHO guideline. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2007;99:117
  3. Creanga AA, Genadry RR. Obstetric fistulas: a clinical review. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2007;99:40
  4. Velez A, Ramsey K, Tell K. The Campaign to End Fistula: what have we learned? (Findings of facility and community needs assessments). Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2007;99:143
  5. Murray CJ, Lopez AD. Health Dimensions of Sex and Reproduction: The Global Burden of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV, Maternal Conditions, Perinatal Disorders and Congenital Anomalies. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard School of Public Health on behalf of the World Health Organization and the World Bank; 1998;
  6. Mejia R. Human rights (Grim statistics). Science. 2006;313:288
  7. Neilson JP, Lavender T, Quenby S, Wray S. Obstructed labour. Br Med Bull. 2003;67:191
  8. Arrowsmith S, Hamlin EC, Wall LL. Obstructed labor injury complex: obstetric fistula formation and the multifaceted morbidity of maternal birth trauma in the developing world. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 1996;51:568
  9. Wall LL, Arrowsmith SD, Briggs ND, Browning A, Lassey A. The obstetric vesicovaginal fistula in the developing world. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2005;60:3
  10. Latzko W. Post-operative vesicovaginal fistulas, genesis and therapy. Am J Surg. 1942;58:211
  11. Goh JT, Browning A, Berhan B, Chang A. Predicting the risk of failure of closure of obstetric fistula and residual urinary incontinence using a classification system. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2008;19:1659
  12. Arrowsmith SD. The classification of obstetric vesico-vaginal fistulas: a call for an evidence-based approach. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2007;99:25
  13. Waaldijk K. Surgical classification of obstetric fistulas. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 1995;49:161
  14. Wall LL, Arrowsmith SD, Lassey AT, Danso K. Humanitarian ventures or 'fistula tourism?' (The ethical perils of pelvic surgery in the developing world). Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2006;17:559
  15. Wall LL, Arrowsmith SD, Hancock BD. Ethical aspects of urinary diversion for women with irreparable obstetric fistulas in developing countries. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2008;19:1027
  16. Morgan MA. Another view of “humanitarian ventures” and “fistula tourism. ” Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2007;18:705

 Study received approval from the directors of the fistula units.

PII: S0022-5347(08)03269-2

doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2008.11.106

The Journal of Urology
Volume 181, Issue 4 , Pages 1725-1731 , April 2009

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