Management of post-operative enterocutaneous fistula

Abstract

A consecutive series of 22 patients who developed enterocutaneous fistula within 12 days of abdominal surgery. All the patients were treated conservatively with total bowel rest and intravenous hyperalimentation. In 13 (53%) spontaneous fistula closure occurred, in an average period of 20 days. In 9 patients, the fistula failed to close. Three patients died from intra- abdominal sepsis before surgery. In six patients, surgery was performed, but was effective in only 2 cases. Thus the fistula eventually closed in 15 patients, additional 3 cases died of septicemia with persistent of fistula in one patient. It appears that conservative treatment is highly recommended for early management of enterocutaneous fistula.