CHENNAI: Doctors at Kauvery Hospital treated a 73-year-old woman suffering from rare colovaginal fistula — an abnormal connection between the colon and the vagina — by using a cardiac occlusion device traditionally used to close holes in the heart. The woman had been living with the condition since 2018. She was admitted to Kauvery Hospital after treatment attempts elsewhere had failed to provide relief, a release said.
One of the initial challenges was locating the fistulous tract. Previous surgeries had resulted in extensive fibrosis, adhesions and distortion of normal tissue planes, making identification of the abnormal connection difficult. Following detailed evaluation and advanced endoscopic assessment, the gastroenterology team was able to accurately identify the fistulous communication, the release added. Given the complexity of the case, the gastroenterology team collaborated with interventional cardiologists to devise an innovative treatment strategy.
They adapted a cardiac occlusion device, normally used to close septal defects in the heart, to seal the abnormal connection between the colon and the vagina. One week after the intervention, the patient is recovering well, the release said.