Rectal/Vaginal Fistula - Bowel Disorders Message Board

MrsQueeZ · 03-07-2006, 07:06 PM

A good friend of mine has had cultures taken that point to her having a rectal/vaginal fistula, and she will be seeing a colon surgeon soon for the real answers, but I was wondering if anyone can let me know what she might be looking at. How long of a recovery would she have in this kind of repair? Will she need a colonoscopy more than likely, or would the fistula be so far down in the area that this would not be needed? She has not passed BMs through the vagina, and it is probably a pinhole sized fistula, as the gyn didn't see it. Just the passage of some fluid after a BM mainly.

Renata

rottlover · 03-07-2006, 10:05 PM

I have this type of fistula. Mine is caused by Crohn's disease. From my understanding from what my doc told me is that it really depends on the person and the meds being used. I take asacol for the Crohn's, that has helped some but not a lot. My doc wants to put me on this medicine called remicade it is suppose to help a lot with fistulas. I dont want the meds becouse I am hoping to have children pretty soon and they can not tell me enough about it to make me feel safe taking it when I could become pregnant. My fistula were found by a colonoscope after I insisted there was something wrong "down there". Well I hope this helps a little.

Gigi D · 03-13-2006, 09:45 PM

I'm recovering from surgery right now. I had outpatient surgery a little over a month ago to drain an abscess. My colorectal surgeon looked at that time for a fistula, but didn't find one. When I went back for a follow-up appt. with him a couple weeks later, the infection was coming back. He wasn't sure if the connection was to the rectum or vagina, so sent me to see an OB Gyn, who said I was fine on his end. So then I was sent off for an MRI-results came back showing nothing wrong. My surgeon scheduled me for exploratory surgery and ultrasound, and found a fistula. I don't understand what exactly took place during my surgery-it was supposed to be outpatient but I ended up having to stay. I know he found a fistula very close to the vagina, and had to do a skin flap or something. My follow-up appt. with him is next week.

Recovery time will just depend on how you handle the surgery and what all your surgery will entail. I still have rectal bleeding and some discharge. The pain is almost gone, but I'm still experiencing really sharp, almost like stabbing pain, in the rectal/pelvic area which fortunately only lasts for a few seconds at a time. Unfortunately, it feels like something is still wrong down there to me. It feels like the infection is coming back, just like it did after the abscess draining. I called my surgeon's office, but was told what I'm feeling is probably swelling and scar tissue from the surgery. I hope that they are right!

NikkiNak · 03-14-2006, 09:04 AM

Hi Ladies-

I just wanted to jump in and add to this. My husband developed an anal fistula from an abcess that kept reaccuring. He just had a colonoscopy making sure there was nothing else going on. It is connected to his intestines going to the outside. It has been going on now for about 4 months and he will be scheduled for surgery when we see the surgeon next week. When the abcess was present he was bed ridden for about a week and in very intense pain. The surgeon said he would be off work for a week. We have done research on how they proceed with taking care of this and we found out that they will cut out a good bit. It has to heal from the inside out so he will be packed and such. They do not stitch it but let heal openly. I hope this helps a bit. I will post back after we see the surgeon. Good luck to you.

Nikki

Gigi D · 03-16-2006, 02:48 PM

Yep, I had a hole in my skin about the size of a dime after my first surgery-after the second surgery it was between the size of a quarter and half dollar, but is healing pretty well. The packing and dressing remains in place for about 24 hours, then is replaced with a cotton ball or gauze pads.

FYI, after your husband's surgery, when he removes the dressing he may want to do it in the shower under warm water. Same for removing cotton balls. Otherwise, it can be pretty painful-at least it was for me.