Gastrointestinal fistulation
Updates to Article Attributes
A gastrointestinal fistula (plural: fistulae or fistulas) is an abnormal connection or fistula, between the gut and another epithelial-/endothelial-lined surface, such as another organ system, the skin surface, or elsewhere along the gastrointestinal tract. Some authors exclude fistulas involving the large bowel and oesophagus when classifying or describing gastrointestinal fistulas.
Terminology
The formation of a fistula may be referred to as fistulation or fistulisation, both terms are equally valid 8.
Pathology
Gastrointestinal fistulas can be congenital or acquired in nature. They are generally named according to their participating anatomic components, and virtually every imaginable combination has been reported. Examples include
- gut - gut:
- gut - skin:
- gut - bladder:
- gut - ureter:
- gut - kidney:
- gut - vagina:
- enterovaginal fistula
- colovaginal fistula
- anovaginal fistula
- rectovaginal fistula: commonest GI fistula involving the female genital tract 2
- gut - biliary tract:
- cholecystoduodenal fistula: commonest to involve the biliary tract 2
- cholecystocolonic fistula
- choledochoduodenal fistula
- choledochocolonic fistula
- gut - pancreas
- gut - vascular system:
Aetiology
Their causes can be as diverse as their types and include 2
-
acquired:
-
common:
- post-surgical: considered most common cause 3
- Crohn disease
- diverticulitis
-
less common:
- due to abdominal malignancies: colon cancer
- radiotherapy
- due to foreign bodies
- intra-abdominal trauma 4
- atypical intra-abdominal infections:
- cholecystitis
- pancreatitis
- appendicitis
-
common:
-
congenital:
- congenital dorsal-enteric fistula: associated with split notochord syndrome 7
- congenital enteroenteric: associated with an omphalocele
History and etymology
Fistula is the Latin word for pipe 9.
-<p>A <strong>gastrointestinal fistula</strong> (plural: fistulae or fistulas) is an abnormal connection between the <a href="/articles/gastrointestinal-tract">gut</a> and another epithelial-/endothelial-lined surface, such as another organ system, the skin surface, or elsewhere along the gastrointestinal tract. Some authors exclude fistulas involving the large bowel and oesophagus when classifying or describing gastrointestinal fistulas.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>The formation of a fistula may be referred to as fistulation or fistulisation, both terms are equally valid <sup>8</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Gastrointestinal fistulas can be congenital or acquired in nature. They are generally named according to their participating anatomic components, and virtually every imaginable combination has been reported. Examples include</p><ul>- +<p>A <strong>gastrointestinal fistula</strong> (plural: fistulae or fistulas) is an abnormal connection or <a title="Fistula" href="/articles/fistula">fistula</a>, between the <a href="/articles/gastrointestinal-tract">gut</a> and another epithelial-/endothelial-lined surface, such as another organ system, the <a title="skin" href="/articles/skin">skin surface</a>, or elsewhere along the gastrointestinal tract. Some authors exclude fistulas involving the large bowel and oesophagus when classifying or describing gastrointestinal fistulas.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>The formation of a fistula may be referred to as fistulation or fistulisation, both terms are equally valid <sup>8</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Gastrointestinal fistulas can be congenital or acquired in nature. They are generally named according to their participating anatomic components, and virtually every imaginable combination has been reported. Examples include</p><ul>
-</ul>- +</ul><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>Fistula is the Latin word for pipe <sup>9</sup>.</p>
References changed:
- 9. Editors of Chambers, Ian Brookes. The Chambers Dictionary. (2006) ISBN: 9780550101853 - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9780550101853">Google Books</a>
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