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Status unknownNCT03236922Updated Aug 2, 2017

Autologous Slings With Vesico-Vaginal Fistula Repair

An interventional study of Pubococcygeus sling and Rectus fascia sling in Vesicovaginal Fistula, sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine. Status unknown at 1 site in Malawi. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 90 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-08-02.

Sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Jul 2017), so the status shown — last known as Active, not recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
22
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 90 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

It is clear from multiple accounts in the literature that patients with a vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) involving the bladder neck and/or proximal urethra have a high likelihood of residual incontinence. Performing subsequent surgeries after the initial VVF repair risks additional complications. Therefore, placement of an autologous sling at the time of initial VVF repair would not only assist in covering the fistula, but would also imitate the physiologic support that would theoretically improve urethral function. A rectus fascia sling would most naturally provide this support and warrants testing against the success of the PC sling.

Using the Goh scoring criteria, Goh class 3 and 4 VVF's are the type most involving the urethra. Therefore, this group of patients is the target population for this study. As there is currently no standard of care for repairing large urethral defects, this procedural technique combined with otherwise standardized fistula repair would not introduce any foreseeable harm to patients.

02

Conditions studied

  • Vesicovaginal Fistula

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Keywords

  • obstetric fistula, anti-incontinence techniques
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 90 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Women with vesico-vaginal fistulas classified as Goh 3 or 4 at the time of surgery
  • Patients who have consented for an autologous sling
  • Patients who have not previously undergone repair attempt

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who require an abdominal approach to the VVF repair
  • Patients found at surgery not to have a Goh 3 or 4 class VVF
  • Patients requiring a complete urethral reconstruction
  • Patients who have undergone previous attempt at repair
  • Patients who require an alternative tissue grafting other than the rectus fascia or pubbococcygeus decided by the surgeon at the time of surgery
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
22 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Pubococcygeus Sling

    This is one anti-incontinence technique commonly used at the time of fistula surgery.

    Procedure: Pubococcygeus sling

  • Active comparator
    Rectus Fascia Sling

    This is another anti-incontinence technique used at the time of fistula surgery, however, less commonly than the pubococcygeus.

    Procedure: Rectus fascia sling

Interventions

  • ProcedurePubococcygeus sling

    The pubococcygeus muscles is dissected from the vaginal side walls and approximated at the midline just below the urethra.

    Also known as: pubococcygeal sling, pubococcygeus graft

  • ProcedureRectus fascia sling

    Rectus fascia is dissected out cephalad to the pubic symphysis and tunneled beneath the urethra.

    Also known as: rectus fascia graft

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Long-term Continence Status

    Residual stress incontinence is commonly experienced by this patient population, therefore a dye test to ensure the fistula is still closed and a cough test to determine any incontinence will be performed.

    Time frame: Six months after surgery

Secondary outcomes

  1. Vesico-vaginal fistula repaired

    To ensure the VVF is still closed and was not compromised due to the sling

    Time frame: One month after surgery

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Fistula Care Center
    Lilongwe, Malawi
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Ascher-Walsh CJ, Capes TL, Lo Y, Idrissa A, Wilkinson J, Echols K, Crawford B, Genadry R. Sling procedures after repair of obstetric vesicovaginal fistula in Niamey, Niger. Int Urogynecol J. 2010 Nov;21(11):1385-90. doi: 10.1007/s00192-010-1202-5. Epub 2010 Jun 17. PubMed 20556597 ↗
  • Browning A. Risk factors for developing residual urinary incontinence after obstetric fistula repair. BJOG. 2006 Apr;113(4):482-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.00875.x. Epub 2006 Feb 20. PubMed 16489933 ↗
  • Browning A. Prevention of residual urinary incontinence following successful repair of obstetric vesico-vaginal fistula using a fibro-muscular sling. BJOG. 2004 Apr;111(4):357-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00080.x. PubMed 15008773 ↗
  • Carey MP, Goh JT, Fynes MM, Murray CJ. Stress urinary incontinence after delayed primary closure of genitourinary fistula: a technique for surgical management. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002 May;186(5):948-53. doi: 10.1067/mob.2002.122247. PubMed 12015520 ↗
  • Pope R, Browning A, Chipungu E, George JOM, Tamimu M, Wilkinson J. Prophylactic Autologous Slings at the Time of Obstetric Fistula Repair: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Feb 1;27(2):78-84. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000745. PubMed 31145227 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — No.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03236922
Lead sponsor
Baylor College of Medicine
Responsible party
Jeffrey Wilkinson (Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 2, 2017
Start date
Jun 2016
Primary completion
Aug 2018 (estimated)
Completion
Aug 2019 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 2, 2017

Study contacts

Rachel Pope, MD, MPH
study director · Baylor College of Medicine

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is status unknown, as verified in Jul 2017. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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