EDITORIAL COMMENT

Abstract

Rectourethral fistula (RUF) is a devastating problem that requires multifaceted treatment planning. When initially evaluating and counseling a patient and their family, perhaps the simplest way to outline potential outcomes following surgery is to explain that in the end there will be no stomas, 1 stoma, or 2 stomas. The majority of patients will undergo successful reconstruction of the urinary tract and rectum, but there clearly are times where this is not feasible. In the current study the authors have focused on the cohort requiring pelvic exenteration (2 stomas), which is the least common outcome of the three.