Repair of obstetric vesicovaginal fistulas in Africa.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to show the outcomes of primary surgical repair of obstetric vesicovaginal fistula repairs in Niger, Africa.

Study Design: From October 2003 to April 2005, 90 patients were examined with vesicovaginal fistulas and no previous repair. Fistulas were variable in location and degree of scarring and ranged up to 7 cm in size.

Traumatic absence of the proximal urethra.

Objective: Traumatic absence of the proximal urethra is an obstetrical vesicovaginal fistula resulting from obstructed labors in Niger, Africa. Repair by direct reanastomosis was evaluated.

Study Design: A prospective case series of 25 women with traumatic absence of the proximal urethra underwent a direct layered reanastomosis of the distal urethra to the urethrovesical junction.

Surgical management of complex obstetric fistula in Eritrea.

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of and demographic characteristics associated with obstetric fistula in Eritrea. To determine the outcomes of surgical repair of complex fistula in Eritrea by a visiting surgical team.

Methods: A surgical team comprising expert gynecologic surgeons traveled to Eritrea in September 2004.

Internet-based learning.

The Internet, with established and newly appearing websites, is becoming a more integral part of orthopaedic education every day. We review some of the well-known resources on the Internet (Orthogate, OrthoNet, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons site, Orthopedic Hyperguide, WorldOrtho, Wheeless's Textbook of Orthopaedics, Orthoteers, AO North America site, University of Iowa Virtual Hospital texts, and South Australian Orthopaedic Registrars' Notebook) and reports the results of a survey of 35 orthopaedic surgery residents and 24 attending orthopaedic surgeons on the use of orthopaedic knowledge resources on the World Wide Web. The top three most commonly used online sites by the residents were Wheeless's Textbook of Orthopaedics, the American Academy of Orthopaedics Surgeons website, and Orthopedics Hyperguide.