A fistula is a pathological connection between two or more organs. The causes of fistula formation are varied – they can result from trauma, iatrogenic complications, purulent and specific inflammations, as well as more serious diseases such as Crohn’s disease or cancer. There are several types of fistulae – external, internal, caused by disease or surgery, and artificially created.
What are the types of fistulas and where do they form?
If the fistula takes the form of an opening that connects two organs with the skin through a canal, it is called an external fistula. This ailment most often affects organs such as the pancreas, liver, intestine, and gallbladder. When the internal organs are connected, such as the stomach and the transom, we are dealing with an internal fistula.
Fistulas can be divided into two categories depending on how they arise:
- Acquired fistulas, i.e. those that appeared as a result of an injury or surgery (postoperative) – e.g. after gastric resection. They also include those that have been produced artificially, i.e. biliary, duodenal, pancreatic. In the case of an intestinal fistula, a stoma, otherwise known as an “rectal rectum,” is created, which allows urine and feces to be passed through a route other than the natural one;
- Congenital fistulas associated with developmental defects.
One of the most commonly diagnosed fistulas is an anal fistula. It usually occurs when the glands in the anus become infected with bacteria. Less common causes are cancer, actinomycosis, foreign bodies and postoperative complications. The fistula itself does not cause pain. More often it occurs together with a perianal abscess, less often alone. An alarming symptom of a progressive disease process is the relapse of the abscess, which causes severe pain. It usually appears as a small lump near the anus, but it can also be located much deeper. In this case, a rectal examination is necessary for diagnosis. It is also accompanied by other symptoms, such as frequent purulent discharge from the area of the anus or from the anus, burning, itching and damp sensations, and problems with stool holding due to weakening of the sphincter muscles. In addition, there may be fever, reddening of the skin, swelling, pain when urinating, haematuria and rectal bleeding. Anal fistula affects twice as often men as women. It appears in half of the patients diagnosed with an abscess. Usually these are people over 40 years of age.
In the event of the appearance of any of the symptoms, you should immediately go to a medical examination in order to diagnose or rule out the disease (including cancer) and to choose an appropriate method of treatment. The most common treatment is operative and consists in excision of the fistula. Some of the patients must undergo surgery in two stages. If the fistula is close to the sphincter muscles, there is a risk of damaging them, which can make stools difficult to hold. Recovery from surgery usually takes several weeks.
| Name of the disease / condition | Fistula |
| Wstęp | A fistula is a pathological connection between two or more organs. There are several types of fistulae – external, internal, caused by disease or surgery, and artificially created. |
| Fistula – symptoms | Perianal fistula – abscess recurrence that causes severe pain. It is also accompanied by other symptoms, such as frequent purulent discharge from the area of the anus or from the anus, burning, itching and damp sensations, and problems with stool holding due to weakening of the sphincter muscles. In addition, there may be fever, reddening of the skin, swelling, pain when urinating, haematuria and rectal bleeding. Anal fistula affects twice as often men as women. It shows up in the middle |
| Fistula – causes | The causes of fistula formation are varied – they can be the result of trauma, iatrogenic complications, purulent and specific inflammations, as well as more serious diseases such as Crohn’s disease or cancer. |
| Fistula – treatment | Operationsracyne |
| Fistula – prognosis | Curable |
| Fistula – prevention | Preventing a bacterial infection in the area of the anus and the appearance of an abscess. Medical control. |
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