Benign colovesical fistulae

ABSTRACT

Two successfully treated cases of benign colovesical fistula are presented. The condition should be suspected whenever patients with colorectal disease develop urinary symptoms. Fllexible colonoscopy and lateral abdominal X-ray should be the initial investigations; but barium enema, cystoscopy and, rarely, CT scan may be necessary to confirm the presence of a colovesical fistula. Patients should be managed conservatively during the acute phase, and then be treated definitively by a single-stage bowel resection. Simple closure or resection and closure is used for the bladder defect. (AU)