Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35915291›Full record

SynthesisTechniques in coloproctology2022

Treatment of enterocutaneous fistula: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

R Gefen, Z Garoufalia, P Zhou, K Watson, S H Emile, S D Wexner

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Techniques in coloproctology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Observational
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Use of parenteral nutrition in the management of enterocutaneous fistula.Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition · 2025
    Review
  15. Gastrointestinal Fistulas-What Gastroenterologists Need to Know in 2025.Canadian journal of gastroenterology & hepatology · 2025
    Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

R GefenEllen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL, 33331, USA.
Z GaroufaliaEllen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL, 33331, USA.
P ZhouEllen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL, 33331, USA.
K WatsonEllen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL, 33331, USA.
S H EmileEllen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL, 33331, USA.
S D WexnerEllen Leifer Shulman and Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL, 33331, USA. wexners@ccf.org.ORCID 0000-0001-8046-5753

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEnterocutaneous fistula (ECF) is an abnormal communication between the gastrointestinal tract and skin, with a myriad of etiologies and therapeutic options. Management is influenced by etiology and specifics of the ECF, and patient-related factors. The aim of this study was to assess overall success, recurrence, and mortality rates of treatment for ECF. MATERIALS: A systematic search of PubMed and Google Scholar was performed through October 2021 according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Case reports, reviews, animal studies, studies not reporting outcomes, had no available English text, included patients < 16 years old or those assessing other abdominocutaneous/internal fistulas were excluded.

resultsFifty-three studies, between 1975 and 2020, incorporating 3078 patients were included. Patient age ranged between 16 and 87 years with a male:female ratio of 1.14:1. ECF developed postoperatively in 89.4%. Other common etiologies were inflammatory bowel disease, trauma, malignancy, and radiation. At least 28% of patients had complex fistulae (reported in 18 studies). Most common fistula site was small bowel. In 34 publications, 62.4% (n = 1371) patients received parenteral nutrition. In 45 publications, 72.5% underwent surgery to treat the fistula. Meta-analysis revealed an 89% healing rate; recurrence rate after initial successful treatment was 11.1%, and mortality rate was 8.5%. In a subgroup of patients who underwent combined ECF takedown and abdominal wall reconstructions (n = 315), 78% achieved fascial closure, mesh was used in 72%, hernia, and fistula recurrence rates were 19.7% and 7.6%, respectively.

conclusionsTreatment of ECF must be individualized according to specific etiology and location of the fistula and the patient's associated conditions.

Indexed as

Intestinal FistulaFemaleHumansMaleParenteral NutritionRetrospective StudiesWound HealingEnterocutaneous fistulaMeta-analysisPostoperativeSmall bowelSurgerySystematic review

Identifiers

PMID35915291

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.