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Fistula
 
Overview   

Fistula



Information:

Definition:
A channel or tube that connects an organ or natural tube to another surface, either external or internal. 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)
  • craniosinus (between the intracranial space and a paranasal sinus)
  • 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)



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