St Mark’s protocol for standardised examination under anaesthesia for rectovaginal fistulae - Takeaways - MDSpire

St Mark’s protocol for standardised examination under anaesthesia for rectovaginal fistulae

  • By

  • Okocha, M.

  • Rowe, A.

  • Elgendy, K.

  • Thomas, G.

  • Tozer, P.

  • Vaizey, C.

  • March 6, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    Rectovaginal fistulae (RVFs) significantly impair patients' quality of life, stemming from various causes like obstetric trauma and Crohn's disease.

  • 2

    Diagnosis of RVFs can be challenging, often requiring examination under anesthesia (EUA) for definitive evaluation and planning.

  • 3

    The St Mark’s protocol for EUA includes five stages: inspection, endoanal ultrasonography, probing, insufflation, and dye testing.

  • 4

    Intraoperative endoanal ultrasonography enhances the assessment of sphincter integrity and fistula tract definition during EUA.

  • 5

    The structured protocol aids in documenting findings and informs surgical decisions, especially in ambiguous cases or post-repair evaluations.

Original Source(s)

St Mark’s protocol for standardised examination under anaesthesia for rectovaginal fistulae

  • by Okocha, M., Rowe, A., Elgendy, K., Thomas, G., Tozer, P., Vaizey, C.

  • March 6, 2026

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