How to Pronounce Enterovesical Fistula

Say it like this: en-ter-oh-VES-ih-kal FIS-tyoo-lah. The stress falls on the third syllable of the first word (VES), which rhymes with "less." The second word, fistula, is stressed on the first syllable (FIS), which sounds like "fist" with an "uh" at the end.

The prefix 'entero' comes from Greek and means intestine or bowel. You'll see it in other medical words like enteritis (inflammation of the intestines) and gastroenterology (the study of the stomach and intestines).

The word 'vesical' comes from Latin and relates to the bladder, or the vesica. You might also hear the word 'cystitis,' which is inflammation of the bladder—'cysto' is another root meaning bladder.

A fistula is an abnormal tunnel or opening between two body parts that normally aren't connected. The word comes from Latin and originally meant a pipe or tube, which is a good way to picture what a fistula is.

Break it like this: en-ter-oh-VES-ih-kal FIS-tyoo-lah. That's 6 syllables for the first word and 3 for the second word, making 9 syllables total.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say en-TER-oh-vesical instead of en-ter-oh-VES-ih-kal. Remember: the stress goes on VES, not TER.

It's an abnormal connection or tunnel between the intestines and the bladder. Think of it as a leak or hole that shouldn't be there, creating a pathway between two separate body systems.

Here's an example: "The patient was referred to a specialist because imaging showed an enterovesical fistula." This sentence shows how doctors would use the term when discussing or documenting this condition.