[Sigmoido-buttock fistula by diverticulitis: report of a rare complication]. / Fístula sigmoideo-glútea por diverticulitis. Reporte de una rara complicación.

INTRODUCTION: The complicated diverticulitis of the colon is characterized by its association with abscesses, bleeding, stenosis, perforation, obstruction or fistula. We report a case of spontaneous sigmoido-cutaneous fistula from diverticulitis to an unusual place in the gluteal region. CLINICAL CASE: A 59-year-old male patient presented an inflammatory wound in left buttock without response to the conservative medical treatment. The fistulography, colonoscopy, barium enema and computed tomography showed a sigmoido-cutaneous fistula to the left buttock from diverticulitis. The biopsy of the lesion ruled out malignancy. We performed an elective sigmoid resection with primary colorectal anastomosis, partial fistulectomy and injection of a fibrin sealant in the residual tract. DISCUSSION: The colon-cutaneous fistulas from diverticulitis are relatively rare. We report a spontaneous fistula with origin in a single diverticulum in the sigmoid colon and that drained through the piriform fossa of the pelvic floor to the skin of the left buttock. CONCLUSIONS: A high index of suspiscion is necessary to not confuse the colo-buttock fistula with local abscesses.

The preauricular sinus: factors contributing to recurrence after surgery.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to summarize clinical presentation, treatment, and recurrence of preauricular sinuses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, institutional review board-approved study reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent preauricular fistulectomy between January 1995 and June 2005 at university-based hospitals in South Korea. Only patients who underwent classic preauricular fistulectomy (not incision and drainage) and could be followed up for at least 3 months were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 191 patients (206 ears) were enrolled. The right and left ears were involved in 79 and 97 patients, respectively. The most common location of the preauricular pit was the anterior margin of the ascending limb of the helix (93.2%). The most common indication for surgery was the recurrent exacerbation of acute infection (58.3%). The recurrence rate after surgery was 4.9%. Surgery under local anesthesia contributed to recurrence after the procedure (P = .009) and the cases that featured local infiltrative anesthesia had a higher rate of recurrence than the cases that had general anesthesia with an odds ratio of 6.875. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study showed that surgery under local anesthesia contributed to recurrence, it did not mean that it was only the anesthesia technique that influenced the recurrence. Surgeons should bear in mind that complete removal of the epithelial lining provides a lower recurrence rate, especially under local anesthesia. The main limitation of this study was that recurrent cases were too few to allow a statistical analysis.

Gastrocolocutaneous Fistula as a complication of peg tube placement.

A gastrocolocutaneous fistula after placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube is a rare complication. This fistula is defined as an epithelial connection between the mucosa of the stomach, colon, and skin. We present an interesting case in which a PEG tube was placed inadvertently through the colon. During a subsequent fever workup, an abdominal computed tomography scan suggested that the feeding tube had traversed the colon. Gastrograffin enema and colonoscopy confirmed the location of the misplaced feeding tube. We review the clinical presentation, diagnosis, errors in procedural technique, and treatment of gastrocolocutaneous fistulas.

Octreotide in the treatment of thoracic duct injuries.

Anecdotal reports support the use of octreotide in the treatment of traumatic thoracic duct injuries and chylothorax, but no prospective studies have proved its efficacy. We evaluated the effects of octreotide in treating thoracic duct transection in a canine model. Eight mongrel dogs (27.8+/-5.1 kg) were fed one pint of 10.5 per cent milkfat 2 hours before operation. Through a left supraclavicular neck incision, the thoracic duct was identified and transected, producing free flow of chyle. A quarter-inch drain was tunneled subcutaneously from the wound and attached to closed suction. After wound closure dogs were randomized to a control group (n = 4) receiving sham injections of saline subcutaneously three times per day, or a treatment group (n = 4) given 3 microg/kg octreotide three times per day. Postoperatively all dogs were fed a standard low-fat (5-7%) crude fat diet. Drain output was measured each day, and on odd-numbered postoperative days the drainage was analyzed for cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, and total protein. Fistula closure was defined as drainage <10 ml/24-hour period. Treated dogs achieved fistula closure significantly faster than controls: 3.5+/-1.3 days versus 7.8+/-1.0 days (P = 0.0037). Whereas equivalent amounts of drainage occurred on the day of surgery and on postoperative day one in both groups, by postoperative day 2 the treatment group had significantly less drainage over 24 hours: 63+/-69 ml versus 195+/-79 ml (P = 0.046); this significant difference persisted through postoperative day 5 when drainage began to decrease in the control group. No significant differences between groups were seen in levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, or protein in the drainage at any time point. We conclude that octreotide is effective in treating thoracic duct injury, leading to an early decrease in drainage and early fistula closure. The mechanism for this effect remains to be clarified.