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Repair of Bladder Fistula
What is
Repair of Bladder Fistula?
The
bladder fistula repair is a surgical procedure
which involves the repair of the bladder that
has abnormal connections with other organs or
this skin.
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Effects
of Repair of Bladder Fistula
Normally surgery is the best possible method as
it may be painful but it is the most safest
solution. This is because it necessitates
adequate drainage of the fistula as a result of
which there is no pus formation.
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Candidates for Repair of Bladder Fistula
Ideal
candidates for this procedure are those
diagnosed with bladder fistula condition.
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Your Consultation
Bladder fistula is diagnosed by the use of an
excretory
urogram, which is an X-ray
examination of the bladder. An excretory urogram
study uses a contrast dye to enhance the X-ray
images. The dye is injected into the patient's
system, and its progress through the urinary
tract is then recorded on a series of quickly
captured images. The examination enables the
radiologist
to review the
anatomy
and the function of the bladder and urinary
tract.
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The
Repair of Bladder Fistula Procedure
Surgery is often required to assure adequate
drainage of the fistula (so that pus may escape
without forming an abscess). Various surgical
procedures are commonly used, most commonly
fistulotomy, placement of a seton (a cord that
is passed through the path of the fistula to
keep it open for draining), or an endorectal
flap procedure (where healthy tissue is pulled
over the internal side of the fistula to keep
feces or other material from reinfecting the
channel). Treatments involving filling the
fistula with fibrin glue or plugging it with
plugs made of porcine small intestine submucosa
have also been explored in recent years, with
variable success.
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Recovery
The
success of surgery is directly related to the
ability to remove the primary disease and the
presence of healthy tissue with which the
fistula is closed. Ideally, healthy tissue with
good blood supply is brought between the bladder
and the other organ. The presence of unremovable
cancer or tissue exposed to radiation and having
a bad blood supply make a good result more
difficult to obtain. The patient can expect to
have a catheter in their bladder for a few weeks
postoperatively.
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Risks
However simple surgery is not enough without
proper medication and diagnosis. Hence simple
diagnosis is not recommended. On the first look
it looks effective but in the long run it is not
as the fistula tends to grow back again. In
almost 50% of the cases the fistula tends to
grow back if the surgical treatment is done
without proper medication.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
What is bladder fistula?
A:
Bladder fistula refers to an abnormal connection
between the bladder and another organ or the
skin. Most commonly this involves the
bowel (enterovesical
fistula) or the vagina (vesicovaginal
fistula).
Q:
What causes bladder fistula?
A:
Although relatively rare, fistulization to the
skin can result from an injury or previous
surgery in the face of bladder outlet
obstruction. Vesicovaginal fistulas are seen
after a urologic or gynecological surgery or in
relation to gynecological cancers. Fistulas to
the bowel are most commonly seen as a result of
inflammatory bowel disease such as
Crohn's disease or
diverticulitis. About 20 percent of bowel
fistulas are caused by bowel cancer. Fistulas
are rarely caused by bladder
pathology. Fistulas to both the vagina and
the bowel may also develop as a result of
previous radiation therapy.
Q:
What are the symptoms of bladder fistula?
A:
Symptoms are frequent
urinary tract infections or the passage of
gas from the
urethra during urination.
Q:
What should I do if I have bladder fistula?
A:
Treatment of bladder fistula usually requires
partial surgical removal. If it is caused by a
disease such as colon cancer or inflammatory
disease, surgical removal is usually done in
conjunction with removal of the primary
disease.
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The following list of Urology procedures are
performed at Beverly Hills Medical Group -
please click the links to find out more:
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