An abnormal duct or passage resulting from injury, disease, or a congenital disorder that connects an abscess, cavity, or hollow organ to the body surface or to another hollow organ.
[Middle English, from Latin.]
Dictionary:
fis·tu·la (fĭs'chə-lə) ![]() |
[Middle English, from Latin.]
| 5min Related Video: fistula |
| Dental Dictionary: fistula |
An abnormal tract connecting two body surfaces or organs or leading from a pathologic or natural internal cavity to the surface. The tract may be lined with epithelium.
| Architecture: fistula |
In ancient Roman construction, a water pipe of lead or earthenware.
| Sports Science and Medicine: fistula |
An abnormal connection between a hollow organ and the exterior, or between two hollow organs.
| Columbia Encyclopedia: fistula |
| Veterinary Dictionary: fistula |
Pl. fistulae, fistulas; any abnormal, tubelike passage within body tissue, usually between two internal organs, or leading from an internal organ to the body surface. Some fistulae are created surgically, for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes; others occur as a result of injury or as congenital abnormalities. See also arteriovenous fistula.
![]() |
| Wikipedia: Fistula |
| Fistula | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| MeSH | D005402 |
In medicine, a fistula (pl. fistulas or fistulae) is an abnormal connection or passageway between two epithelium-lined organs or vessels that normally do not connect. It is generally a disease condition, but a fistula may be surgically created for therapeutic reasons.
Fistulas can develop in various parts of the body. The following list is sorted by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.
Various types of fistulas include:
Although most fistulas are in forms of a tube, some can also have multiple branches.
Various causes of fistula are:
Treatment for fistulae varies depending on the cause and extent of the fistula, but often involves surgical intervention combined with antibiotic therapy.
Typically the first step in treating a fistula is an examination by a doctor to determine the extent and "path" that the fistula takes through the tissue.
In some cases the fistula is temporarily covered, for example a fistula caused by cleft palate is often treated with a palatal obturator to delay the need for surgery to a more appropriate age.
Surgery is often required to assure adequate drainage of the fistula (so that pus may escape without forming an abscess). Various surgical procedures are commonly used, most commonly fistulotomy, placement of a seton (a cord that is passed through the path of the fistula to keep it open for draining), or an endorectal flap procedure (where healthy tissue is pulled over the internal side of the fistula to keep feces or other material from reinfecting the channel). Treatments involving filling the fistula with fibrin glue or plugging it with plugs made of porcine small intestine submucosa have also been explored in recent years, with variable success. Surgery for anorectal fistulae is not without side effects, including recurrence, reinfection, and incontinence.
It is important to note that surgical treatment of a fistula without diagnosis or management of the underlying condition, if any, is not recommended. For example, surgical treatment of fistulae in Crohn's disease can be effective, but if the Crohn's disease itself is not treated, the rate of recurrence of fistula is very high (well above 50%).
In end stage renal failure patients, a cimino fistula is often deliberately created in the arm by means of a short day surgery in order to permit easier withdrawal of blood for hemodialysis.
As a radical treatment for portal hypertension, surgical creation of a portacaval fistula produces an anastomosis between the hepatic portal vein and the inferior vena cava across the omental foramen (of Winslow). This spares the portal venous system from high pressure which can cause esophageal varices, caput madusae, and hemorrhoids.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
| Translations: Fistula |
Dansk (Danish)
n. - rør, fistel
Nederlands (Dutch)
fistel, buis in insecten, spuit van walvis, buisvormige zweer, abnormale doorgang in het lichaam
Français (French)
n. - fistule
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (παθολ.) συρίγγιο
Português (Portuguese)
n. - fístula (f) (Patol.)
Русский (Russian)
фистула, свищ
Español (Spanish)
n. - fístula
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - fistelgång (med.), rör
中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
管, 瘘管
中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 管, 瘺管
한국어 (Korean)
n. - (병리) 누관, (상처 때문에 생긴) 구멍
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) ناسور
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - בקע בגוף, בתר, פצע, פיסטולה
If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.
To select your translation preferences click here.
| fistulectomy | |
| fistulotomy | |
| perifistular |
| What are perianular fistulas in German Shepherds? Read answer... | |
| What causes tracheoesophageal fistula? Read answer... | |
| Is fistula a deadly disease? Read answer... |
| What is obstetric fistula? | |
| How a fistula lasts? | |
| Carotid cavernous sinus fistula n oral maxillary sinus fistula r types of sinus fistula? |
Copyrights:
![]() | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Architecture. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Sports Science and Medicine. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more | |
![]() | Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fistula". Read more | |
![]() | Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more |