What is the most common type of fistula?

The most common form of fistula – anal fistula—can occur naturally with time. Sometimes a fistula can form between the intestine and the vagina.

What are the two types of fistula?

Types of Fistulas:

• Anorectal Fistula occurs between the anal canal and the skin around the anal opening.
• Rectovaginal or Anovaginal Fistula occurs when a hole develops between the rectum or anus and the vagina.
• Colovaginal Fistula occurs between the colon and the vagina.

What symptoms does fistula cause?

The signs and symptoms of an anal fistula include:

• Frequent anal abscesses.
• Pain and swelling around the anus.
• Bloody or foul-smelling drainage (pus) from an opening around the anus.
• Irritation of the skin around the anus from drainage.
• Pain with bowel movements.
• Bleeding.
• Fever, chills and a general feeling of fatigue.

How do you check for fistula?

The CT scan can help locate a fistula and determine its cause. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This test creates images of soft tissues in your body. MRI can show the location of a fistula, whether other pelvic organs are involved or whether you have a tumor.

What does fistula pain feel like?

Symptoms of an anal fistula can include: skin irritation around the anus. a constant, throbbing pain that may be worse when you sit down, move around, poo or cough. smelly discharge from near your anus.

What will happen if a fistula is left untreated?

Fistulas can cause a lot of discomfort, and if left untreated, may cause serious complications. Some fistulas can cause a bacteria infection, which may result in sepsis, a dangerous condition that can lead to low blood pressure, organ damage or even death.

What is best treatment for fistula?

A fistulotomy is the most effective treatment for many anal fistulas, although it’s usually only suitable for fistulas that do not pass through much of the sphincter muscles, as the risk of incontinence is lowest in these cases.

What does a fistula smell like?

If you have a vesicovaginal fistula, you most likely have fluid leaking or flowing out of your vagina. If you have a rectovaginal, colovaginal, or enterovaginal fistula, you most likely have foul-smelling discharge or gas coming from your vagina.

Can poop come out of fistula?

Bowel contents can leak through the fistula, allowing gas or stool to pass through your vagina.

How long is the recovery time after fistulotomy?

You may also experience constipation as a side effect of your pain medications. If you experience this, talk to your doctor about using a stool softener, which can help you resume normal bowel function. It may take 3-12 weeks to fully recover from a fistulotomy. Is this procedure the only way to treat a fistula?

What can I expect after surgery to repair a bladder fistula?

Surgery to repair a bladder fistula can be successful if enough healthy tissue is available to close the area of the fistula. After surgery, you will face several weeks of recovery. For a few weeks following surgery, you will be required to have an indwelling (inside the body) catheter in place while your bladder heals.

What causes a rectal fistula?

Also called an anal fistula, a rectal fistula is a narrow cavity or channel stretching between the bowel and the skin near the anus. This often results in a painful external opening in the skin. One of the most common causes of an anal fistula is an abscess which has developed because of an infection in an anal gland.

What causes rectovaginal fistula?

A rectovaginal fistula may form as a result of: Injuries during childbirth. Delivery-related injuries are the most common cause of rectovaginal fistulas. This includes tears in the perineum that extend to the bowel, or an infection of an episiotomy — a surgical incision to enlarge the perineum during vaginal delivery.