Results and Quality of Life

Urinary Fistula

Treatment ranges from conservative maneuvers such as bladder catheterization to the need for surgery. The type of surgery depends on the origin and size of the fistula and may require a vaginal, abdominal or laparoscopic approach. In cases of fistulas from the urinary tract to the digestive tract, a colostomy may be required, i.e. a bag to collect the feces.

In case of radiotherapy, fistulas usually have a more complex treatment. Radiotherapy is an effective treatment in multiple tumors and its complications are rare. However, on isolated occasions, especially in association with pelvic surgery, it increases the risk of development of fistulas from the urinary tract to the vagina or the gastrointestinal tract.

First of all, an evaluation by a urologist specializing in reconstructive urology should be performed. He or she will adequately evaluate the patient's condition in order to propose an individualized treatment.

The expulsion of gases through the urine may indicate the existence of a fistula of the urinary tract and the digestive tract. This is a communication between the two. In itself it is not serious. It may be associated with an increase in urinary tract infections. A proper study of the origin of the fistula is necessary, which may be related to urological processes such as previous surgeries or digestive processes such as infections or diverticulitis.