Biliary enteric fistulas

Thirty-one patients with biliary enteric fistula who were operated on over a 19-year period (1976-1994) with an incidence of 0.74% in all biliary tract operations were reviewed retrospectively to identify etiologic factors, types of fistulas, signs and symptoms, methods of diagnosis, management and prognosis of the cases. Most common symptoms were abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and jaundice. Two patients had gallstone ileus. The majority of the patients had severe concomitant medical illnesses. The exact preoperative diagnosis of a biliary enteric fistula was established in only five (16%) patients. In 81% of the cases fistula was secondary to chronic calculous biliary tract disease. Postoperative complications included wound infection in six (19%), biliary fistula in two (6%) and erosive gastritis in one (3%) patient. Two patients died of intra-abdominal sepsis and two of cardiac failure, with an operative mortality of 13%. Early elective cholecystectomy is recommended to avoid complications of chronic calculous cholecystitis such as bilioenteric fistulas and their increased mortality and morbidity.