FINALLY got definitive test results back on my stupid fistula, and it is VERY high up (whatever that means) in my pouch. So my surgeon says the only real surgical option is using a muscle graft from either the thigh (I assume this is a gracilis muscle graft) or from my abdomen (the "fatty layer", if it's left; I'm a bit confused about this). She says doing a less invasive surgery (through the vagina) is not possible, so this would be full open abdomen and that meds are not an option (they don't use them much here for fistula treatment).

She wants to consult with other surgeons, and then she and I will meet again to talk through the surgery and make a definitive plan. She also said that this surgery is not very common; I didn't think to ask if she meant here or in general.

Anyway, after 6 ROUGH surgeries and BAD recoveries, I'm more than a little frightened about this prospect... But I've also had almost continual yeast infections, UTIs, irritation, etc. Just enough to make things miserable. So I'm not sure what else to do.

Please, any thoughts or advice or help would be appreciated.

Gin

Okay, take a breath. You aren't alone. I've had 11 surgeries and half of those were attempted fistula repairs. What finally worked and has continued to work for the last ten years is when they took a muscle from the back of my leg- a gluteal thigh flap to repair the fistula. Like the graciloplasty surgery just a different muscle. I've actually posted a thread in the section before about fistulas and the different muscle flaps they use to correct them.

It was a brutal surgery and rough recovery but was worth it. I don't know about cutting open the abdomen and all that but I recommend you contact my surgeon as he does these type of repairs all the time. His name is Dr. Gregg Shore and he's in Florida at St. Anthony's Hospital and works in the Center for Intestinal Continence (or something like that). His number is: 1-888-825-1495.

PM if you'd like more detailed information about the surgery and whatnot.

Try not to freak out...the surgery has successes!