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Rectovaginal Fistula due to an Erosive Pessary: A rare case reported in an 82-year-old female

Authors

  • Waleed Inayat Mohamed University of Health Sciences
  • Dorea Emmanuel Awali Hospital
  • Shahzaib Maqbool Rawalpindi Medical University
  • Ali Asad Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain
  • Asad Jawad Doctors’ Hospital
  • Arham Ihtesham Rawalpindi Medical University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2021.1175

Keywords:

Erosive pessaries, Rectovaginal Fistula.

Abstract

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a condition when organs in the pelvis fall from their normal position due to a weakening of the pelvic muscles and produce a bulge in the vagina. Pessaries have long been used to treat POP but may result in rectovaginal fistulas as a rare complication.The Case: We report a rare case of a rectovaginal fistula following the utilization of ring vaginal pessary in an 82-year-old G7P7007 female with a past medical history of bipolar disorder who presented initially for nursing care and psychiatric support. A trained psychologist evaluated the patient, and no psychological morbidity was identified, but a history of fall two days ago and diffuse abdominal pain was recognized. Chronic urinary incontinence was also reported. Gynecological pelvic examination revealed a rectovaginal fistula, and impacted stools were noticed in the vagina, which were manually removed. Conclusion: The use of ring pessaries, though a conservative management option for pelvic organ prolapse, may lead to a rectovaginal fistula, a rare but severe complication.

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Published

2021-12-16

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How to Cite

Mohamed, W. I., Emmanuel, D., Maqbool, S., Asad, A., Jawad, A., & Ihtesham, A. (2021). Rectovaginal Fistula due to an Erosive Pessary: A rare case reported in an 82-year-old female. International Journal of Medical Students, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2021.1175