Can I just ignore the cervical fistula?

The neck is a very important part of the human body, so once a disease occurs, timely treatment should be paid attention to. However, there are some medical problems that people have questions about. For example, cervical fistula is a disease with many causes, so targeted treatment should be carried out according to the cause of the disease. However, the situation of this disease problem is different for each person, so research and analysis should be conducted before deciding whether to use medication or surgery. But some people think that cervical fistula can be ignored?

Causes

1. Congenital

Caused by abnormal embryonic development, such as thyrohyoid fistula, rectovaginal fistula, vesicovaginal fistula, ear fistula, nasal fistula, etc.

2. Infection

It is formed due to the rupture of abscesses after infection, such as anal fistula, intestinal fistula, etc.

3. Surgery

A fistula is formed during an artificial fistula surgery to relieve organ obstruction; or after various surgeries, a fistula may occur due to infection, poor anastomotic healing, suture detachment, surgical operation errors, etc. Such as gastric fistula, intestinal fistula, bile fistula, pancreatic fistula, kidney fistula, bladder fistula, anal fistula, etc.

4. Mechanical compression

For example, during difficult labor, vesicovaginal fistula may form due to prolonged pressure of the vagina by the fetal head.

5. Tumor

Late-stage rupture of malignant tumors may lead to fistulas, such as salivary gland fistulas and rectal fistulas.

Clinical manifestations

Fistulas are characterized by not healing for a long time or coming back and forth. Local redness, swelling and pain occur, often accompanied by outflow of secretions, such as intestinal fluid, bile, urine, etc., and the channel shapes are diverse. May be accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever.

examine

1. Laboratory examinations include routine blood tests, blood biochemistry, bacterial culture and drug sensitivity tests, biopsy and pathological examination, etc.

2. Imaging examinations include B-ultrasound, angiography, etc.

diagnosis

1. Medical history

There is a history of trauma, surgery or tumor.

2. Clinical manifestations

(1) The nature of the secretions can help determine which organ the fistula is connected to.

(2) Determine the type based on the anatomical location of the fistula.

3. Inspection

Increased total white blood cell count and neutrophil ratio, positive bacterial culture, etc. are helpful for diagnosis; imaging examination results can determine the course, range, branches, connected organs and internal opening location of the fistula.

Differential Diagnosis

Differentiation from sinus tract: Sinus tract is a pathological blind tube that leads from deep tissue to the body surface and has only one opening.

treat

1. General treatment: anti-infection, enhanced nutrition, correction of water and electrolyte imbalance, etc.; temporary artificial fistula surgery, most cases can heal on their own after the catheter is removed.

2. Surgery

(1) Curettage can be performed for chronic superficial external fistulas.

(2) Congenital fistulas, specific infection fistulas, and fistulas with epithelial cells as the inner wall cannot heal on their own and should be treated thoroughly with surgery. When performing fistula resection, the diseased tissue and the scar around the fistula must be completely removed.

(3) For fistulas in special locations, such as anal fistulas, the anal sphincter needs to be protected during surgery to avoid postoperative fecal incontinence. The thread hanging method and postoperative sitz bath and dressing change can be used.

3. Negative pressure suction therapy: When correcting the water and electrolyte balance and supplementing nutrition, intestinal fistula, bile fistula, etc. can often heal themselves by performing sufficient negative pressure suction on the fistula. If the disease does not heal for a long time and causes a large loss of water and electrolytes, surgical treatment should be performed as soon as possible.