Management of digestive fistulas

Colocutaneous fistula due to an infected sigmoid adenocarcinoma: A case report of an unusual revelation

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

As revealed as a colocutaneous fistula with an abscess in the abdominal wall, colon cancer is rare. It should be suspected in case of a painful abdominal wall mass in elderly patients. This case presentation of an infected sigmoid adenocarcinoma aims to highlight this uncommon presentation presenting some therapeutic issues.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 90-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypertension and major depressive disorder consulted the Emergency Department for lower left quadrant abdominal pain. The physical examination objectified a mild fever; lower left abdominal quadrant guarding, and abdominal mass of 10 cm with inflammatory signs. The abdominal CT scan showed a concentric thickness of the sigmoid colon with an abdominal wall abscess. She underwent an emergent laparotomy. Intraoperatively, we found an infected sigmoid tumour that invades the abdominal wall and is associated with a peritumoral abscess. This tumour was at the origin of the abdominal wall fistula. She underwent surgical drainage of the abscess, sigmoid colectomy, and colostomy. The postoperative follow-up was uneventful. The pathological examination of the operative specimen concluded with a colonic adenocarcinoma with lymph node invasion classified as pT4N2M0.

CASE DISCUSSION

Despite initial medical and radiological interventions, emergent surgery became necessary to address the infected sigmoid tumour invading the abdominal wall. Pathological examination revealed advanced cancer, but timely intervention and adjuvant therapy resulted in a positive outcome with no recurrence after two years. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing unusual colon cancer presentations and the need for swift diagnosis and intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of colon cancer complicated with a colocutaneous fistula remains based on pathological examination after surgical management. These tumours presented an advanced stage and correlated to a poor prognosis. This highlights the interest in screening colonoscopy in front of any digestive symptoms in elderly patients.

High-output fistula

Despite improvements in healthcare delivery, mortality rates for high-output fistulae remain unchanged. The pathophysiology and causes of fistulae are reviewed in this article. An overview of the diagnostic procedures to delineate fistulae and underlying bowel disease together with their complications is included. Management of high-output fistulae consists of assessment and stabilization of patients, followed by conservative management by a multidisciplinary team until spontaneous or surgical closure of fistulae.

Biliogastric diversion for the management of high-output duodenal fistula: report of two cases and literature review

High-output duodenal fistula occurs as a result of a duodenal wall defect caused by gastroduodenal surgery, endoscopic sphincterotomy, duodenal injury, and tumors with high morbidity and mortality rate. A new technique for its management is reported along with literature review. This procedure consists of transection of the duodenum 2 cm distally to the pylorus, transection of the common bile duct, and end duodenostomy with or without suturing the duodenal wall defect. The continuity of the alimentary tract is reinstated by an end-to-end duodenojejunostomy, end-to-side choledochojejunostomy, and end-to-side Roux-en-Y jejunojejunostomy, obtaining biliogastric diversion from the duodenum and closure of the fistula. This technique was performed in two patients with excellent results.

Nutrition and management of enterocutaneous fistula

BACKGROUND

The management of enterocutaneous fistula is challenging, with significant associated morbidity and mortality. This article reviews treatment, with emphasis on the provision and optimal route of nutritional support.

METHODS

Relevant articles were identified using Medline searches. Secondary articles were identified from the reference lists of key papers.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Management of enterocutaneous fistula should initially concentrate on correction of fluid and electrolyte imbalances, drainage of collections, treatment of sepsis and control of fistula output. The routine use of somatostatin infusion and somatostatin analogues remains controversial; although there are data suggesting reduced time to fistula closure, there is little evidence of increased probability of spontaneous closure. Malnutrition is common and adequate nutritional provision is essential, enteral where possible, although supplemental parenteral nutrition is often required for high-output small bowel fistulas. The role of immunonutrition is unknown. Surgical repair should be attempted when spontaneous fistula closure does not occur, but it should be delayed for at least 3 months.

Rectus abdominis muscle flap for high-output duodenal fistula: novel technique

Duodenal fistula after closure of peptic ulcer perforation, though rare, is difficult to manage and carries a high mortality. The high mortality is associated with the poor nutritional status of the patient, high output from the fistula, and late development of peritonitis and septicemia. The various techniques described in the literature for the closure of the postsurgical external duodenal fistulas range from conservative management with total parenteral nutrition (TPN), serosal patch repair, and Roux-en- Y procedures to radical surgery like Billroth II gastrectomy. Total parenteral nutrition achieves spontaneous closure in 70% to 80% of cases, but it is very expensive and requires prolonged hospitalization. In addition, some surgical procedures have yielded poor results in our setting, so we sought a new modality of treatment. We describe a novel technique for repair of postsurgical external fistula of the duodenum with a rectus abdominis muscle flap. The rectus abdominis muscle is detached from its superior attachment and mobilized from the rectus sheath. The flap, based on the deep inferior epigastric artery, is raised and sutured to the duodenal fistula with thick silk sutures. We treated six patients with post-surgical duodenal fistulas with this technique between 1995 and 2002. The leak was completely sealed in all patients. One patient died of septicemia. We recommend this technique for the management of postsurgical external duodenal fistula as an alternative to other surgical techniques.

Fístulas enterocutâneas pós-operatórias: análise de 39 pacientes

OBJETIVO: As fístulas enterocutâneas podem ocorrer de forma espontânea ou no período pós-operatório. A fístula pós-operatória representa mais de 90% de todas as fístulas intestinais e estão quase sempre relacionadas com alguma das principais complicações da cirurgia do aparelho digestivo. De acordo com os fatores de risco e as características destas fístulas, têm sido propostas diferentes classificações prognósticas. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar o resultado do tratamento de pacientes portadores de fístulas enterocutâneas pós-operatórias. MÉTODO: Foram analisados 39 pacientes submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico que desenvolveram fístula enterocutânea. Havia 27 pacientes do sexo masculino (69,2%) e 12 do sexo feminino (30,8%) com média de idade de 45,8 anos. Os fatores de risco considerados foram sepse, nível da albumina sérica, débito da fístula, idade do paciente e cirurgia de emergência. RESULTADOS: Sepse esteve presente em 13 pacientes com 61,5% de mortalidade, fístula de alto débito em 23 pacientes com 30,4% de mortalidade, idade acima de 60 anos em 14 pacientes com 28,5% de mortalidade e a albumina sérica baixa na admissão também esteve relacionada com mortalidade. CONCLUSÃO: Os autores concluem que a presença de sepse não controlada foi o fator mais importante de mortalidade.

Evaluation of lanreotide effects on human exocrine pancreatic secretion after a single dose: preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Total parenteral nutrition and somatostatin or analogues represent a consolidated therapeutic approach for external fistulas, a frequent complication of major pancreatic surgery.

AIMS

To establish the effects of the somatostatin analogue lanreotide on exocrine pancreatic secretion.

METHODS

Eight patients, undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy, were enrolled in the trial. The volume and composition of pancreatic secretion were evaluated after one single subcutaneous injection of lanreotide 0.5 mg or placebo in a randomised, double-blind cross-over trial.

RESULTS

In the seven patients completing the study, the 24-h output volume was 208.6+/-41.3 and 253.9+/-72.4 ml after lanreotide and placebo, respectively. During the first 6 hours values were 48.1+/-14.7 and 77.6+/-21.4 ml (p=0. 02). No significant difference between treatments was detected in the qualitative composition of 24-h pancreatic secretion, although bicarbonate secretion remained lower after the active drug at all the observation intervals. Peak lanreotide levels were detected 15-30 min after drug injection. Clinical and laboratory tolerability was good.

CONCLUSIONS

Lanreotide induced a statistically significant reduction in the output volume with respect to placebo in the first 6 hours after administration, but not thereafter. The present results encourage a new study to be undertaken in a larger sample and with a multiple dosing scheme of treatment.

Nutrition and enterocutaneous fistulas

Enterocutaneous fistulas (ECFs) are a complex topic in terms of classification. ECF-related morbidity and mortality can be high due to fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance, sepsis, and malnutrition. Most prognostic factors influencing the outcome of ECF are now well-known. ECF treatment is complex; and, based on various situations, it can be surgical or conservative/ medical. Depending on fistula site and nutritional status, clinicians have to decide whether total parenteral or enteral nutrition should be established. In cases where total parenteral nutrition alone for 7 days has failed to influence the high output fistulas, overall data support the use of adjuvant drug, somatostatin, or its synthetic analogue, octreotide. Somatostatin 250 microg/d and octreotide 300-600 microg/d have been tried along with total parenteral nutrition to decrease the healing time of ECFs and to reduce the number of complications.

General management of gastrointestinal fistulas. Recognition, stabilization, and correction of fluid and electrolyte imbalances

Gastrointestinal fistulas are unfortunate complications of a number of disease states, such as inflammatory bowel disease and tumors, or may result from complications of surgical intervention. Fistulas may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, much of which is a result of fluid losses and electrolyte imbalances. Thus, attention to these issues is a critical component of the management of patients with gastrointestinal fistulas. The management of gastrointestinal fistulas is divided into three phases: diagnosis/recognition, stabilization/investigation, and treatment. The major goal of the stabilization phase is the correction of fluid losses and electrolyte abnormalities. This phase must be carried out expeditiously to reduce the associated complications. Knowledge of the electrolyte content of various secretions of the gastrointestinal tract is essential to guide this phase of management. Early control of infectious foci, with drainage of abscesses if present, is of great importance. Esophageal fistulas most commonly result from instrumentation of the esophagus and are diagnosed by radiographic imaging studies. Nonoperative therapy is an option in select patients, but aggressive surgical intervention is often required. Dehydration is often associated with these injuries and must be corrected. Gastric and duodenal fistulas are most commonly iatrogenic and may be associated with significant fluid losses. Careful measurement of the fistula effluent is important. Nutritional support is begun following correction of fluid and electrolyte abnormalities. Pancreatic fistulas are often high volume fistulas and are associated with significant skin breakdown if they are cutaneous. The use of a somatostatin analogue may decrease the volume of the fistula to allow healing. Small intestinal fistulas often result from postoperative complications and require careful attention to electrolyte abnormalities. Spontaneous closure often obviates surgical intervention. Colonic fistulas are less often associated with complications than are other fistulas of the gastrointestinal tract. The stabilization phase in the management of patients with gastrointestinal fistulas is a critical time during which careful attention to fluid and electrolyte losses can result in reduced morbidity and mortality from these difficult management problems.