Intestinovesical Fistula

The presenting symptoms of intestinovesical fistula are nearly always those of irritation of the bladder. The urologist is therefore consulted in order to assure a correct diagnosis. It happens too often, however, that the cause of the so-called cystitis is not discovered, for the fistulous tract is not easily demonstrated and the condition is so rare that it may not be considered at the time a differential diagnosis is being made. For this reason, it is apropos occasionally to review the subject and report a series of cases. The term intestinovesical is used because the primary cause of the' fistula is more frequently found in the bowel, and it extends from there into the bladder. This term is preferable to enterovesical, for the latter has a mixed Greek and Latin derivation and the prefix "entero" is usually used to identify the small, rather than the large, bowel, whereas "intestino" signifies