Having a fistula means a hole, tunnel or passageway has developed between two adjacent hallow organs or a cavity type organ and the outside. As a result, fluids and other substances can pass readily through the opening. When this occurs, health problems may arise because material migrates into areas not designed to handle them (e.g. causes an infection) or diverted away from their destination (e.g. insufficient oxygenated blood to downstream tissue). Yet, a fistula can develop and cause no health consequences too.
Generally fistulas are caused by injury, surgery, abscess, infection or inflammation. They most commonly form in the digestive tract because of a surgical procedure, inflammation or abscess in association with an inflammatory bowel disease, i.e. ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s. The passage created is between your gut and bladder, urethra, vagina or an adjacent portion of digestive tract.
However, fistulas do occur in other body parts as well, for instance blood vessels, urinary tract, reproductive tract and lymphatic system. And if you suffer with diabetes, a compromised immune system (AIDS, cancer) and certain gastrointestinal conditions, then they’re more prone to develop.
Fistula symptoms vary depending on their location, for example:
- vaginal causes urine or feces leakage out your vagina
- anal & rectal causes pain & swelling in your rectal area
- blood vessel causes painful bright pink or dark red skin areas
Fistula treatment varies in accordance with cause, location and extent. A fistula in your anus or rectum area is usually due to an abscess. It is treated by draining the abscess and antibiotics to prevent recurrence. If this fails, then surgery may be necessary. Intestinal fistulas are treated with an anti inflammatory to reduce inflammation and surgery if necessary. Otherwise, surgery is frequently the treatment for most other types of fistulas and there are a couple of surgical procedures that may be used.