Surgery for high-output small bowel enterocutaneous fistula: a 30-year experience

The outcome of surgery undertaken to repair high-output small bowel enterocutaneous fistula (SBECF) using the same technique was evaluated. Of a total of 282 patients with a high-output SBECF (daily fistula output > 500 ml), 183 patients were managed conservatively; in this group, a spontaneous closure rate of 81.4% (n = 149) and a mortality rate of 18.6% (n = 34) was noted. Ninety-nine patients (35.1%) underwent definitive surgical treatment. In all patients, after resection of the fistula, the entire small bowel was stented. Six patients (6%) died in the postoperative period. No complications developed as a result of intestinal stenting. Including the patients treated successfully for postoperative persistence of fistula, surgical repair was successful in 93 patients (93.9%). No patients returned with refistulization or small bowel obstruction within 6 months of surgery. We believe that routine intraluminal stenting should be an integral component of the surgical technique for the repair of SBECF.