PURPOSE Long-term closure rates of anorectal fistulas using fibrin glue have been disappointing, possibly because of the liquid consistency of the glue. A suturable bioprosthetic plug (Surgisis, Cook Surgical, Inc.) was fashioned to close the primary opening of fistula tracts. A prospective cohort study was performed to compare fibrin glue vs. the anal fistula plug. METHODS Patients with high...

BACKGROUND A gastroesophageal anastomotic fistula remains a potentially life-threatening post-esophagectomy complication. To promote fistula closure, we developed a modified endoscopic method of trans-fistula drainage with persistent negative pressure. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this endoscopic therapy. METHODS Between June and November 2013, five male patients with p...

BACKGROUND Acquired rectourethral or urethrovaginal fistula between the rectum or vaginal and lower urinary tract is an uncommon entity, which occurs as a consequence of pelvic disorder, including trauma, iatrogenic injury, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic neoplasm or infection. But when is it appropriate to repair the fistula and what methods to be chosen? There has been no consensus on them...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The relative merits of buttonhole (or blunt needle) versus rope ladder (or sharp needle) cannulation for hemodialysis vascular access are unclear. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Clinical outcomes by cannulation method were reviewed in 90 consecutive home hemodialysis patients. Initially, patients were trained in rope ladder cannulation. From 2004 on, a...

We report a case of a traumatic cavernous fistula supplied by a persistent primitive trigeminal artery. The process of treatment was unique in this case. Fistula was subcompletely occluded by coiling from primitive trigeminal artery. Residual fistula was helped to form thrombosis by compression of the carotid artery with hand in the procedure. Long-term follow-up was satisfactory. Traumatic cav...

BACKGROUND Although traumatic fistula is frequently encountered, high-output heart failure due to fistula is a very rare condition. Despite an indefinitive history of trauma, arteriovenous (AV) fistula may develop insidiously, and therefore identification of a shunt is highly important for treatment. CASE REPORT Here we report a 46-year-old male patient with heart failure due to traumatic fem...

Congenital sialo-cutaneous fistula arising from the accessory parotid gland is extremely rare. Although the fistula tract can be successfully excised after making a skin incision along the skin tension line around the fistula opening, a facial scar inevitably remains. We here report a case of sialo-cutaneous fistula that was treated with chemocauterization with trichloroacetic acid (TCA). TCA c...

The authors report a case of bladder fistula associated with a medial thigh cutaneous fistula and chronic osteomyelitis of the pubic bone 11 years after surgery for a pelvic bone fracture and bladder rupture. In the presenting case, despite the clinical suspicion, none of the diagnostic tools demonstrated the bladder fistula preoperatively. This case suggests that bladder repair should be prepa...

BACKGROUND While obstetric fistula has been recognized as a major maternal morbidity since the 1980s, it has become an indicator of access to and quality of women' s health care. FINDINGS Obstetric fistula still exists in low-income countries (LIC) because health care systems fail to provide adequate family planning, skilled birth attendance, basic and emergency obstetric care, and affordable...

AIM To assess the survival of the primary arteriovenous fistula created for dialysis in 463 chronic hemodialysis patients, because the main causes of morbidity among such patients are associated with vascular access-related complications. METHOD We analyzed 269 (58%) men and 194 (42%) women with median age of 58 years (range 12-83), who underwent 0-14,784 (median 1,584) hours of hemodialysis....