Mucous fistula – definition
- Mucous fistula is a type of abdominal stoma. (Abdominal stoma is an artificial opening created in the abdominal wall as an alternate path for feces or urine to reach outside the body.)
- When immediate anastomosis of bowel is not possible after resection, the proximal bowel is brought out as a stoma (eg: ileostomy, colostomy etc)
- But in certain cases, the distal non functioning part of bowel is also brought out through a stoma
- Such a stoma is known as a mucous fistula
- It appears small, flat and pinkish red
- It discharges only mucus – no fecal matter
