Fistula
A fistula is an abnormal connection between an organ, vessel, or intestine
and another structure. Fistulas are usually the result of trauma or surgery,
but can also result from infection or inflammation.
Inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease,
is an example of a disease which leads to fistulas between one loop of
intestine and another (enetero-enteral fistula) or intestine and skin
(enterocutaneous fistula). Trauma can lead to fistulas between arteries and
veins (arteriovenous fistulas).
Fistulas may occur in many parts of the body. Some of these are:
Arteriovenous (between an artery and vein)
Biliary (created during gallbladder surgery, connecting bile ducts to the surface of the skin)
Cervical (either an abnormal opening into the cervix or in the neck)
Enterovaginal (between the bowel and vagina)
Fecal or anal (the feces is discharged through an opening other than the anus)
Gastric (from the stomach to the surface of the skin)
Metroperitoneal (between the uterus and peritoneal cavity)
Pulmonary arteriovenous (in a lung, the pulmonary artery and vein are connected, allowing the blood to bypass the oxygenation process in the lung (pulmonary arteriovenous fistula)
Umbilical (connection between the umbilicus and gut)
Types of fistulas include:
Blind (open on one end only, but connects to two structures)
Complete (has both external and internal openings)
Horseshoe (connecting the anus to one or more points on the surface of the skin after going around the rectum)
Incomplete (a tube from the skin that is closed on the inside and does not connect to any internal organ or structure)
Another complication is sores or ulcers within the intestinal tract. Sometimes these deep ulcers turn into tracts -- called fistulas -- that connect different parts of the intestine. But fistulas may also tunnel into surrounding tissues such as the bladder, vagina, or skin. These abnormal passages, which affect about 30 percent of people with Crohn's disease, often become infected. If the fistula is small, medical treatment may be sufficient to heal it. Large or multiple fistulas, on the other hand, may signal the need for surgery, particularly if they are accompanied by fairly persistent symptoms, such as fever or abdominal pain. Occasionally a fistula forms an abscess, or collection of pus, near the intestine. This is a pocket of infection that requires drainage either through a catheter inserted by a radiologist or a special drain that is surgically inserted. The areas around the anus and rectum are often involved. In addition to fistulas, cracks or fissures may also develop in the lining of the mucus membrane of the anus.
MEDICAL IMAGE OF A RECTAL VAGINAL FISTULA
On behalf of learning, and use as teaching tools for those of us who need to
know about our disease, I have tried to supply you with as much information as
I could find on all of the drugs, treatments and disorders associated with
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. I have tried to blend all facts supported by research
and also from personal experiences of other IBD sufferers into one readable webpage, and any and all information presented here is not entirely
from one source. Most information contained within these pages is found in the public domain.
At times you may find information used from another site, and as with all copyrighted materials you may find on these pages, I claim fair use under sections 107 through 118 of the Copyright Act (title 17, U.S. Code). Click here for more info
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