MO
A 74-year-old member asked:
How invasive is surgery or for a gastrointestinal fistula?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gregory Hinesanswered
Family Medicine 26 years experience
Invasive: It is major abdominal surgery. Generally it is done laparoscopically or as an open procedure, and can be very invasive.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Elie Schochetanswered
Colon and Rectal Surgery 20 years experience
It varies: A fistula is a communication between the bowel and another surface, can be skin or another organ. It really depends on the underlying disease process. They are often seen in crohn's diesease, cancer, post-surgical complications and many states in which the patient is immunocompromised and sick and/or on steroid which can make any surgery more complicated.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Dec 25, 2014
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