The author presents a brief survey of 52 cases of external fistulas from the intestinal tract which have been treated at the National Medical Center during the period from November 1958 to December 1963.
The average duration of the fistular history prior to admission to the N.M.C. was one year and eight months.
The most frequent sites of the intestinal fistulas were the coecum and the distal part of ileum. This was, in a considerable number of cases, considered probably due to surgical complications following appendectomy.
In 50% of the cases the direct causes of the fistulas were surgical complications, such as anastomotic failure or surgical injury.
The most significant complication to the operation of the fistulas was infection, including diffuse peritonitis, intraperitoneal abscess and wound infection.
All the 52 cases were treated by operative methods, sometimes after pre-operative conservative tratment, dependent upon the general condition.
The overall mortality was 11.5% . All the remaining cases except 4 recurrences were cured.
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