Therapeutic aspects of laparotomy after digestive fistula or after surgical intervention for acute pancreatitis
Reynaert, M.S.; Otte, J.B.; Kestens, P.J.; Schmitz, C.; Tremouroux, J.
Acta Chirurgica Belgica 80(2-3): 83-91
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5458 PMID: 6794275 Document Number: 173215
Fourteen cases of digestive fistulas, complicated by a dehiscence of the laparotomy wound, are described. Ten patients have a single fistula and 4 have multiple digestive fistulas. There were eleven survivors. This represents a mortality of 21.4%. In 9 cases, the spontaneous recovery of the fistulated zone is followed by a losing of the laparotomy wound. In 2 cases, surgical intervention was necessary to permit the recovery of the fistula and of the dehiscence of the laparotomy. The treatment of such patients requires a mean hospitalization in an intensive care ward of about 48 days +/- 25.8 (SD). The authors report the different therapeutic aspects: the nutritional support, the control of the infection and of the locoregional and systemic complications.