A Review of Obstetric Fistula Surgical Campaign Conducted at the State Specialist Hospital Maiduguri, North-eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Obstetric Fistula occur as a direct consequence of poor or lack of appropriate obstetric intervention. Surgical campaign is one of the tertiary preventive strategies aimed at reducing the menace.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to find out the age-specific and parity-specific prevalence of the conditions, duration of the condition, types of fistulas commonly seen during the campaign and number of prior repair attempts, as well as the success rates of the repairs.

Methodology: This was a retrospective descriptive study of Obstetric Fistula cases surgically managed during a surgical campaign in the Northeastern Nigeria.

Results: A total of 61 patients were surgically managed during the campaign. Their mean age was 32 ± 4 years. The age-specific prevalence was more among aged 30 to 39 years (29.5%), but when adjusted for the duration of the condition, the prevalence became more among the teenagers (37.7%). The parity-specific prevalence of the scourge was more among multiparous women (44.3%) and fifty nine percent of the patients had no prior attempt at repair. Majority of the patients (77.0%) were living with the condition for more than one year. Type I and type II fistulas accounted for 47.5% and 36.1% respectively. The study showed a success rate of 80.3%.

Conclusions: Obstetric fistula is still prevalent in our communities. Repairs undertaken during the surgical campaigns had a very good success. Hence, Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations should invest more in similar campaigns to reduce the menace.