The respiratory complications of tracheoesophageal fistula are airway hypersensitivity pneumonia and chronic cough which can occur as a result of tracheomalacia, esophageal stricture and aspiration.
The most common variation of tracheoesophageal fistula is Type C in which the upper esophagus ends in a blind pouch and your lower esophagus connects to your trachea via a fistula.
Type C tracheoesophageal fistulas account for 84 to 85 percent of tracheoesophageal fistula cases.
Tracheoesophageal fistula is treated through surgery which is done to completely close the abnormal connection between your esophagus and trachea.
The tracheoesophageal fistula involves dividing the fistula and suturing the esophagus and trachea separately and potentially using a muscle flap to reinforce the closure and prevent recurrence.
A tracheal resection may also be done to fix the tracheoesophageal fistula if the trachea is damaged significantly due to pressure necrosis from the tracheal tube cuff.
The way tracheoesophageal fistula is diagnosed is through physical exams, imaging tests and medical history.
The physical exam for tracheoesophageal fistula will check for symptoms such as blue tinged skin, excessive drooling and difficulty breathing while feeding.
Imaging tests for tracheoesophageal fistulas will involve a chest x ray which examines the abdomen and chest, a esophagram which is an x ray of the esophagus, a bronchoscopy which is a procedure that uses a small camera and a light to examine the inside of your windpipe and a CT scan which uses x rays and computer technology.
Other tests that can be done to diagnose a tracheoesophageal fistula include a tube that is placed into your mouth or nose and is then guided into your esophagus to see how far it goes.
A nasogastric tube that can be inserted into the nose and down the esophagus to see if it hits a blockage.
In most cases a tracheoesophageal fistula is diagnosed shortly after birth when the symptoms first appear and it often also occurs with another birth defect called esophageal atresia and both conditions require surgery to fix.
The symptoms of a tracheoesophageal fistula include choking or coughing with taking a bottle or nursing, frothing or drooling from the mouth, vomiting and difficulty breathing while feeding and blue tinged skin while feeding.
Tracheoesophageal fistula is sometimes genetic although the exact cause is not fully known in most cases.
Genetics can play a role in the development of tracheoesophageal fistula which is a rare congenital anomaly which occurs when the esophagus and the trachea do not separate as they should during development.
The isolated EA/TEF is considered to be a multifactorial condition, which means that multiple gene variations and environmental factors likely contribute to the occurrence of EA/TEF.
If a fistula is left untreated the untreated fistula can lead to serious complications which include chronic infections, sepsis, abscesses and in some cases cancer.
An untreated fistula can cause chronic infection which may seem to go away but return and while rarely life threatening fistulas can also lead to serious complications such as bowel incontinence.
Untreated fistulas can also cause perforation and peritonitis and drainage.
Fistula surgery in most cases is not major surgery and is often a minor outpatient surgery.
Fistula surgery can be simple or even complex and depend on the location and type of fistula you have.
Fistula surgery is also known as a fistulotomy and is a very common surgical procedure that involves opening the fistula and draining it.
A fistulectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of an abnormal growth or fistula.
And a laparoscopic technique is a minimally invasive approach which uses small incisions and slender instruments.
The risks of fistula surgery include infection and recurrence of the fistula and you can also expect to have some discomfort after the fistula surgery which can include bleeding and pain when you first have a bowel movement.
After the fistula surgery you may also need to use a urinary catheter for a short time and your doctor may also prescribe some stool softeners.
A fistula is an emergency when the fistula causes severe complications such as uncontrolled bleeding, sepsis or even significant changes in your bowel movements and bowel habits.
Also if the fistula is accompanied by chills, pus drainage, pain or fever it becomes an emergency and you should get to the ER.
If you have a fistula and especially if it's an arteriovenous fistula that is used for dialysis and it begins bleeding profusely then it's always a medical emergency that requires immediate attention as it can lead to significant and life threatening blood loss and a potential for fainting and even death.
If a fistula becomes infected and causes sepsis it requires immediate medical attention as sepsis is a life threatening condition where your body's response to infection damages it's own tissues and organs.
Symptoms of sepsis are high fever, rapid heart rate, chills and confusion and difficulty breathing.
If you notice any signs of infection around your fistula like pus drainage, warmth, redness or swelling or also have fever or chills you need to seek medical attention promptly.
Or if you have a fistula that is in your gastrointestinal tract and also experience any significant changes in your bowel movements and such as severe diarrhea, leakage of any fluid from an opening on your abdomen or near your anus or have any trouble controlling your bowels you should seek medical attention.
You can get rid of some types of fistulas without surgery although more serious fistulas often require surgery to treat.
Most fistulas are often treated with surgery although some types of fistulas may heal on their own and other treatments for fistulas include medications and antibiotics.
You can still poop with a fistula even with an anal fistula.
An anal fistula is a tender lump near your anus which can be followed by pain and irritation and the area with the anal fistula may even be red and inflamed and there may even be some drainage of blood, pus or poop.
Fistulas can occur in many parts of your body which includes your urinary system, your genital area, anal area, digestive system etc.
Bowel to skin fistulas can cause leakage of poop, gas or other fluid through the opening of your skin and can lead to diarrhea and even dehydration.
Bladder fistulas can cause urine to pass that contains air, pus or poop or even leakage of urine from the bottom and may also cause a frequent urge to urinate and even cause urinary tract infections.
Vaginal fistulas can cause pain during vaginal sex or the passage of poop, pus or even gas through the opening of the vagina.
Most fistulas are often treated with surgery although some types of fistulas may heal on their own and other treatments for fistulas include medications and antibiotics.
A fistula is a type of abnormal connection or tube like passage that connects 2 organs or an organ to the body's surface that occurs between two body body parts like an organ or a blood vessel or other structure in the body.