A USAID-supported medical trial on fistula repair has been released by The Lancet showing that more efficient and cost-effective catheterization (7-day) services for simple fistula repairs are as safe and effective as longer-duration (14-day) catheterization with multiple benefits. This pivotal study will influence practice in many countries where women are currently hospitalized for long periods after surgery for this devastating maternal injury.

Due to the scarcity of available surgical resources for fistula repair, these findings have important implications because shorter catheterization times have the potential to reduce discomfort for women, reduce the length of their hospital stay, lower the costs of acquiring and receiving health care, and increase ability to provide more fistula repairs, particularly in resource-limited settings where demand for fistula service is greatest and facility capacity lowest.

Learn more

• Read the press release: “New Findings Support Faster, More Cost-Effective Recovery for Women Following Obstetric Fistula Repair Surgery” 
• Find out about USAID’s Fistula Care Plus project

Photo credit from left to right: © Arturo Sanabria/Photoshare, © Arturo Sanabria/Photoshare, © Alison Heller/Photoshare.