Stapled transperineal repair for low- and mid-level rectovaginal fistulas: A 5-year experience and comparison with sutured repair

Figure 1 Participant enrolment and follow-up. A total number of 402 rectovaginal fistula patients were treated at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between May 2015 and May 2020. Among them, 85 were treated by stapled or sutured transperineal repair in our hospital. Apart from three patients who were lost to follow-up, 82 patients were included in this study. The clinical data for each were collected and analysed retrospectively. A total of 37 patients underwent conventional direct sutured transperineal repair and were classified as Group 1, and 45 patients who underwent stapled repairs were included in Group 2. Basic characteristics, perioperative details, and surgical outcomes were evaluated. IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease.