Chronic vaginal discharge and left leg edema after a transobturator tape procedure

Abstract

We report on a patient who underwent total vaginal hysterectomy for urinary incontinence 8 years previously with a sling operation using transobturator tape (TOT). She was admitted to our hospital after complaints of vaginal discharge, foul odor, and bleeding, left thigh pain, and edema. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) revealed a fistula tract from the vagina or urethra with remnant sling tape. We removed the remnant tape using intraoperative ultrasonography. This case exemplifies the rare occurrence of a vaginal fistula extending to the obturator, adductor, and pectineus muscles combined with myositis after TOT placement. It is important that urogynecologists recognize that TOT procedures may result in complications accompanied by common recurrent vaginal symptoms, such as vaginal odor and spotting, which can be identified by MRI or CT.