What are Fistulas?
In medicine, fistulas are tube-like passageways that either form abnormally or are surgically created in the body. A fistula may connect to organs or vessels, or it might connect the surface of the skin to an internal organ or vessel. Fistulas may form abnormally in the body as a result of disease. Generally, a fistula is described by its location in the body. For example, an arteriovenous (AV) fistula connects an artery and a vein. AV fistulas are also a good example of a surgically created fistula intended for prolonged medical treatment, such as dialysis in patients with end-stage kidney failure.
