What Is a Fistula?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
2. Intestinal Fistula
About 75% to 85% of gastrointestinal (GI) fistulas occur due to a surgical complication. The remaining cases evolve spontaneously and can be generally attributed to intraabdominal infection or inflammation.
Fistulas can have a significant impact for patients as it has been shown to increase the mortality and morbidity rates, hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and delayed return to daily routines. Although the mortality rate has decreased over the decades due to advancement in healthcare (parenteral nutrition and intensive care units), the frequency of intestinal fistulas have remained the same. This has been postulated to be due to increasing complexity of surgical techniques, aging population, and advanced disease.
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