fistula
noun
fis·tu·la
ˈfis-chə-lə 
ˈfish-
plural fistulas or fistulae
ˈfis-chə-ˌlē
-ˌlī,
ˈfish-
: an abnormal passage that leads from an abscess or hollow organ or part to the body surface or from one hollow organ or part to another and that may be surgically created to permit passage of fluids or secretions
Examples of fistula in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Although rare, surgery may cause anastomotic leakage, pelvic abscesses, and rectovaginal fistula.
—
Kasandra Brabaw, Health, 19 June 2024
After her fistula left her stinking of leaking waste, villagers took her to an exposed hut on the edge of town to be eaten by hyenas.
—Isobel Coleman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2010
Because the women afflicted by obstetric fistulas face systemic gender discrimination and social marginalization.
—Ashley Judd, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2024
By knocking back the immune system with immunosuppressants and nutrition from TPN—to rest the bowel by not eating or drinking—fistulas can sometimes close themselves.
—Andrew Chapman, Longreads, 18 Apr. 2024
But a nasal fistula—a hole between his nose and mouth—made his speech garbled and unintelligible.
—Dave Eshleman, The Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2024
Some 6 percent of these deaths are from obstetric fistulas, and for each of those deaths, as many as four to five more women will live with an obstetric fistula injury.
—Ashley Judd, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2024
At her pre-surgical consult for the fistula this past March, her surgeons were shocked.
—Usha Lee McFarling, STAT, 28 Sep. 2023
On the list of challenges that most people acknowledge women are facing in the second quintile of the 21st century—from being shut out of corporate boardrooms to untreated fistulas—the inability to play Texas Hold’em does not rank very high, but Just is all in.
—Time, 24 July 2023
Kasandra Brabaw, Health, 19 June 2024
After her fistula left her stinking of leaking waste, villagers took her to an exposed hut on the edge of town to be eaten by hyenas.
—Isobel Coleman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2010
Because the women afflicted by obstetric fistulas face systemic gender discrimination and social marginalization.
—Ashley Judd, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2024
By knocking back the immune system with immunosuppressants and nutrition from TPN—to rest the bowel by not eating or drinking—fistulas can sometimes close themselves.
—Andrew Chapman, Longreads, 18 Apr. 2024
But a nasal fistula—a hole between his nose and mouth—made his speech garbled and unintelligible.
—Dave Eshleman, The Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2024
Some 6 percent of these deaths are from obstetric fistulas, and for each of those deaths, as many as four to five more women will live with an obstetric fistula injury.
—Ashley Judd, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2024
At her pre-surgical consult for the fistula this past March, her surgeons were shocked.
—Usha Lee McFarling, STAT, 28 Sep. 2023
On the list of challenges that most people acknowledge women are facing in the second quintile of the 21st century—from being shut out of corporate boardrooms to untreated fistulas—the inability to play Texas Hold’em does not rank very high, but Just is all in.
—Time, 24 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fistula.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fistula
Cite this Entry
“Fistula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fistula. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fistula
noun
fis·tu·la
ˈfis-chə-lə
plural fistulas or fistulae
-ˌlē
-ˌlī
: an abnormal passage leading from an abscess or hollow organ
Medical Definition
fistula
1 of 2 noun
fis·tu·la
ˈfis(h)-chə-lə, British also ˈfis-tyu̇-lə
plural fistulas or fistulae
-lē also -lī
1
: an abnormal passage that leads from an abscess or hollow organ or part to the body surface or from one hollow organ or part to another and that may be surgically created to permit passage of fluids or secretions
a congenital tracheoesophageal fistula
an arteriovenous fistula was reconstructed in the right arm for dialysis—Pasteur Rasuli et al.
Pasteur Rasuli et al.fistula
2 of 2
see cassia fistula
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