Reply to the letter to the editor

Excerpt

I would like to thank Ciftci et al. for bringing to our attention the greater appropriateness of the terms urethrovaginal or meatovaginal reflux rather than vesicovaginal reflux in response to my previous article [1]. The condition described in the article has been termed variously vaginal reflux, intravaginal urination, vaginal entrapment, or vaginal voiding [2, 3]. Some authors have also called it urethrovaginal reflux [4]. The presence of an abnormal communication between the vagina and urinary bladder/urethra would constitute a vesicovaginal or urethrovaginal fistula. An abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina in a vesicovaginal fistula results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence [5]. The aetiology of vesicovaginal fistula includes congenital, obstetric, surgical, radiation, and malignant causes, the most common cause being obstructed labour. Vesicovaginal fistulas are classified as simple (≤0.5 cm), intermediate-sized fistulas (between 0.5 and 2.5 cm) and complex or large (≥2.5 cm) fistulas [5]. However, reflux of urine into the vagina from the urinary bladder and urethra without any abnormal defect in the walls may be described as vesicovaginal or urethrovaginal reflux, or more simply as vaginal reflux. …