John M Draus, Sara A Huss, Niall J Harty, William G Cheadle, Gerald M Larson
BACKGROUND: We studied the etiology, treatment, and outcome of enterocutaneous fistulas in 106 patients to evaluate our current practice and the impact of newer therapies-octreotide, wound vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), and fibrin glue-on clinical outcomes. Review of the literature and our own 1990 study indicate a mortality rate of 5% to 20% for enterocutaneous fistula, and a healing rate of 75% to 85% after definitive surgery. METHODS: We reviewed all cases of gastrointestinal-cutaneous fistula from 1997 to 2005 at 2 large teaching hospitals...
October 2006: Surgery