Diseases

Intestinal Fistula

An abnormal anatomical passage between the INTESTINE, and another segment of the intestine or other organs. External intestinal fistula is connected to the SKIN (enterocutaneous fistula). Internal intestinal fistula can be connected to a number of organs, such as STOMACH (gastrocolic fistula), the BILIARY TRACT (cholecystoduodenal fistula), or the URINARY BLADDER of the URINARY TRACT (colovesical fistula). Risk factors include inflammatory processes, cancer, radiation treatment, and surgical misadventures (MEDICAL ERRORS).

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An abnormal anatomical passage between the INTESTINE, and another segment of the intestine or other organs. External intestinal fistula is connected to the SKIN (enterocutaneous fistula). Internal intestinal fistula can be connected to a number of organs, such as STOMACH (gastrocolic fistula), the BILIARY TRACT (cholecystoduodenal fistula), or the URINARY BLADDER of the URINARY TRACT (colovesical fistula). Risk factors include inflammatory processes, cancer, radiation treatment, and surgical misadventures (MEDICAL ERRORS).

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

7 entry terms
  • Fistula, Intestinal
  • Cholecystoduodenal Fistula
  • Colovesical Fistula
  • Enterocutaneous Fistula
  • Fistula, Cholecystoduodenal
  • Fistula, Colovesical
  • Fistula, Enterocutaneous

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

fistula policy: Manual 23.19+; RECTAL FISTULA & RECTOVAGINAL FISTULA are also available; pathological artificial anus in historical literature is indexed here or under its specifics; surgically created artificial anus is indexed under COLOSTOMY

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C06w.267.550
  2. C06w.405w.469w.471
  3. C23.300.575w.185.550

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WI 418

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Intestinal Fistula. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D007412. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D007412
  2. Intestinal Fistula. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54931334