Objective: To evaluate the effect of the York-Mason procedure (posterior sagittal approach) in the treatment of urethrorectal fistula.
Methods: Ten 15－80 (mean 54) years old male patients with urethrorectal fistula were treated by the York-Mason procedure, 3 by anoplasty for congenital anal atresia, 5 by laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and the other 2 by radical rectal cancer resection. All the cases were single fistula with a history of 3 months to 18 years. Enterostomy was performed in 6 of the cases before the York-Mason procedure.
Results: The York-Mason procedure lasted 90－130 (mean 104) minutes, with no perioperative complications. Nine of the cases were successfully repaired in the first surgery and 1 in the second. The patients were discharged after an average of 7 hospital days postoperatively and followed up for 6－90 months without recurrence.
Conclusions: The York-Mason procedure is a reliable and effective option for the treatment of urethrorectal fistula, with the advantages low morbidity, short operation time and fast recovery.
Keywords: fistula; surgical repair; trans-sphincter; urethrorectal fistula.