Fistula symptoms

Fistula symptoms

Fistula can be defined as an abnormal connection of one of the body cavities with another cavity or with the skin, and this condition may be accompanied by the appearance of several symptoms and signs that differ according to the severity and location of the fistula. The following is a statement of the most prominent symptoms and signs that may accompany the appearance of the fistula:

• feeling pain
• fever.
• Feeling pain when touching the area where the fistula is located.
• Getting itchy.
• A person's feeling that his condition is bad.
• Appearance of pus and foul-smelling secretions.

Fistula types

Fistula may appear in many forms, and the following is a statement of the most prominent of them:

• Blind fistula: It is a fistula that is open from one end only and connected to two structures.
• Completed fistula: It has openings inside and outside the body.
• Horseshoe fistula: (in English: Horseshoe) and works to connect the anus to the surface of the skin after it rotates around the rectum.
• Incomplete fistula: It is a tube of skin closed from the inside and not connected to any internal structure.

Diagnosis of fistula

The diagnosis of fistula is made through a physical examination, and the person may be subjected to other tests, including the following:

• Blood analysis: In order to detect infection.
• Imaging tests: Such as: Computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
• Anoscopy: (in English: Anoscopy) Through this examination, the doctor can detect problems related to the anal canal (in English: the anal canal).
• Other procedures: Such as: barium enema, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, upper endoscopy, and fistula imaging.

Fistula complications

The occurrence of fistula may lead to suffering from several complications, and the following is a description of the most prominent of them:

• Sepsis: (in English: Sepsis) It should be noted that sepsis occurs as a result of bacterial infection, and it poses a threat to human life.
• Peritonitis: (in English: Peritonitis) This condition expresses inflammation of the peritoneum (in English: Peritoneum), which is a tissue membrane that surrounds the inner wall of the abdomen.
• Other complications: Such as: fistula drainage, fistula perforation, and non-recovery fistula as it becomes chronic.