Intestinal Fistula
Intestinal fistulas are abnormal communications between two parts of the gastrointestinal tract, between the gut and the other organs (eg the bladder), or between the gastrointestinal tract and the skin (enterocutaneous fistula also known as ECF). In doing so, a large proportion of the bowel can be bypassed resulting in the guts inability to absorb nutrients and fluids.
About 75%-85% of ECFs form after surgery as a result of bowel injury, and/or leakage from the bowel joins, in the presence of cancers or inflammatory bowel disease. In the remaining 15-25%, ECF's form spontaneously due to underlying pathology, such as Crohns disease.
Other causes include radiotherapy, diverticular disease, cancers, intra-abdominal infection and trauma. In adults, ECFs are amoung the most common causes of intestinal failure, requiring long term HPS.
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