Gluteo-vaginal fistula: a long-term complication of posterior intravaginal slingplasty

A 67-year-old lady presented to the surgical outpatient clinic with a 4 month history of recurrent purulent discharge from her left buttock. Four years and 4 months prior to this she underwent a posterior intravaginal slingoplasty for vaginal prolapse and urinary stress incontinence. An MRI demonstrated a long gluteo-vaginal fistula tract from the posterior wall of the vaginal vault through the left ischiorectal fossa to the skin. An examination under anaesthesia revealed that the fistulous tract was surrounding the intact mesh used for the posterior intravaginal slingoplasty. The mesh was removed, the fistula tract excised and the perineal wound marsupialised. The patient was discharged 5 days later. The wound healed within 4 weeks and she remains sepsis free 2 years on.