Challenge of uncontrolled enteroatmospheric fistulas

Entero-Cutaneous and Entero-Atmospheric Fistulas: Insights into Management Using Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Enteric fistulas are a common problem in gastrointestinal tract surgery and remain associated with significant mortality rates, due to complications such as sepsis, malnutrition, and electrolyte imbalance. The increasingly widespread use of open abdomen techniques for the initial treatment of abdominal sepsis and trauma has led to the observation of so-called entero-atmospheric fistulas. Because of their clinical complexity, the proper management of enteric fistula requires a multidisciplinary team. The main goal of the treatment is the closure of enteric fistula, but also mortality reduction and improvement of patients' quality of life are fundamental. Successful management of patients with enteric fistula requires the establishment of controlled drainage, management of sepsis, prevention of fluid and electrolyte depletion, protection of the skin, and provision of adequate nutrition. Many of these fistulas will heal spontaneously within 4 to 6 weeks of conservative management. If closure is not accomplished after this time point, surgery is indicated. Despite advances in perioperative care and nutritional support, the mortality remains in the range of 15 to 30%. In more recent years, the use of negative pressure wound therapy for the resolution of enteric fistulas improved the outcomes, so patients can be successfully treated with a non-operative approach. In this review, our intent is to highlight the most important aspects of negative pressure wound therapy in the treatment of patients with enterocutaneous or entero-atmospheric fistulas.

Management of enteroatmospheric fistula: A ten-year experience following fifteen years of learning

BACKGROUND

Enteroatmospheric fistulas are a serious complication of Open Abdomen. The goal of this study was to present the strategy and results of enteroatmospheric fistulas treatment during the last 10 years, after a long learning period.

METHODS

Seventy-seven patients with enteroatmospheric fistulas were treated and the data recorded between 2012 and 2021. For local treatment, 3 negative pressure methods were used, according to the wound characteristics. The results of conservative and surgical treatments were retrospectively identified and described, including nutritional recovery, morbidity and mortality. Predictors of spontaneous closure, as well as risk factors for the fistula's recurrence and mortality were analyzed.

RESULTS

Nutritional and clinical recovery was achieved in 66 patients (85.7%). Fourteen patients (18%) were healed without surgery after a median of 57 days (range 35-426 days). Unique lesions (13/46; P = .02, OR 10.23), initial output ≤700 mL/day (9/28; P = .0035, OR 3.79) and deep fistulas (9/12; P = .00001, OR 33.6) were encountered and acknowledged to be as spontaneous closure factors. Fifty-six patients (72.7%) required reconstructive surgery of the intestinal tract after a median of 187 days since last laparotomy (range: 63-455 days). There were 9 postoperative recurrences (16%), 5 of them closed with conservative treatment. No significant risk factors for recurrence nor postoperative mortality were found. Fistula complete closure was achieved in 63 of the 77 patients studied (81.8%), and 7 patients died (9%).

CONCLUSION

The combination of 3 vacuum methods used for enteroatmospheric fistula management was effective. Spontaneous closure of an enteroatmospheric fistula is unlikely but feasible when lesions are single, deep, with limited output, and when intestinal continuity is preserved. Surgical indications are well defined, although mortality and recurrence rates are still high.

Failure to Rescue (FTR) and Pitfalls in the Management of Complex Enteric Fistulas (CEF): From Rescue Surgery to Rescue Strategy

Purpose: Complex enteric fistulas (CEF) represent general surgeons’ nightmare. This paper aims to explore the impact on failure-to-rescue (FTR) rate of a standardised and integrated surgical and critical care step-up approach. Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study. Patients treated for CEF from 2009 to 2019 at Niguarda Hospital were included. Each patient was approached following a three-step approach: study phase, sepsis control and strategy definition phase, and surgical rescue phase. Results: Sixteen patients were treated for CEF. Seven fistulas were classified as complex entero-cutaneous (ECF) and nine as entero-atmospheric fistula (EAF). Median number of surgical procedures for fistula control before definitive surgical attempt was 11 (IQR 2–33.5). The median time from culprit surgery and the first access at Niguarda Hospital to definitive surgical attempt were 279 days (IQR 231–409) and 120 days (IQR 34–231), respectively. Median ICU LOS was 71 days (IQR 28–101), and effective hospital LOS was 117 days, (IQR 69.5–188.8). Three patients (18.75%) experienced spontaneous fistula closure after conversion to simple ECF, whereas 13 (81.25%) underwent definitive surgery for fistula takedown. Surgical rescue was possible in nine patients. Nine patients underwent multiple postoperative revision for surgical complications. Four patients failed to be rescued. Conclusion: An integrated step-up rescue strategy is crucial to standardise the approach to CEF and go beyond the basic surgical rescue procedure. The definition of FTR is dependent from the examined population. CEF patients are a unique cluster of emergency general surgery patients who may need a tailored definition of FTR considering the burden of postoperative events influencing their outcome.

[Laparostoma-Avoidance and treatment of complications]

The open abdomen (OA) is an established concept for treating severe abdominal diseases. The most frequent reasons for placement of an open abdomen are abdominal sepsis (e.g. from intestinal perforation or anastomotic leakage), severe abdominal organ injury and abdominal compartment syndrome. The pathophysiology is much more complex than the surgeon's eye can see in an OA. The temporary closure of the abdominal wall ensures sufficient drainage of infected ascites, protection of the intestinal loops and conditioning of the abdominal wall in order to be able carry out definitive closure of the abdominal wall at the end of the surgical treatment. Negative peritoneal pressure therapy combined with fascia traction (with or without mesh) is well-established in the management of an open abdomen.