Table 2 Clinical features correlated with failure of surgical repair in patients with urethro-vaginal obstetric fistula in the DRC (N = 358)

Age of fistula

  < 1 years

18

23.08%

60

76.92%

78

1.00

 1–5 years

26

25.74%

75

74.26%

101

1.16 [0.58–2.30]

0.8137

  > 5 years

45

25.14%

134

74.86%

179

1.12 [0.60–2.09]

0.8448

Previous fistula repair attempt

 No

61

28.37%

154

71.63%

215

1.00

  ≥ 1

28

19.58%

115

80.42%

143

0.61 [0.37–1.02]

0.0784

Number of fistulas in the same patient

 1

43

14.93%

245

85.07%

288

1.00

  ≥ 2

46

65.71%

24

34.29%

70

10.92 [6.05–19.71]

< 0.0001

Association with other types of fistula

 No

74

22.29%

258

77.71%

332

1.00

 Yes

15

57.69%

11

42.31%

26

4.75 [2.09–10.79]

0.0002

Status of the urethra

 Partial damage

22

11.17%

175

88.83%

197

1.00

 Total damage

67

41.61%

94

58.39%

161

5.67 [3.29–9.76]

< 0.0001

Presence of fibrosis

 No

11

7.01%

146

92.99%

157

1.00

 Yes

78

38.81%

123

61.19%

201

8.42 [4.28–16.53]

< 0.0001

Fistula size

  ≤ 3 cm

16

8.21%

179

91.79%

195

1.00

  > 3 cm

73

44.79%

90

55.21%

163

9.07 [4.99–16.49]

< 0.0001

Complications

 No

51

16.94%

250

83.06%

301

1.00

Peri-operative hemorrhage

15

50.00%

15

50.00%

30

4.90 [2.26–10.66]

< 0.0001

Post-operative infection

23

85.19%

4

14.81%

27

27.77 [8.97–115.19]

< 0.0001