[Treatment of colovesical fistula: predictive factors of the maintenance of long-term digestion continuity].
AIM OF THE STUDY: Colovesical fistulas (CVF) may occur in inflammatory or tumoral pelvic diseases. The aim of this study was to analyze the surgical management of patients with a CVF in order to define predictive factors of good results and long term digestive continuity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1989 to 1999, this retrospective study included 37 patients, 19 men and 18 women, mean age: 69 years (range 37-93 years). Main etiologies were colonic diverticulitis (n = 22) in 60% of the patients, cancer (n = 6) in 16%, previous radiotherapy (n = 5) in 14%. Treatment was a diverting colostomy in 13 cases, a colectomy in 24 cases without diverting colostomy in 10 cases. RESULTS: Overall postoperative mortality rate was 16%. With a mean follow-up of 47 months, digestive continuity was restored in 40% of the patients (100% in ASA 1 patients, 55% in ASA 2, 19% in ASA 3 and 0% in ASA 4). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that long term digestive continuity following surgical treatment of colovesical fistulas does not depend upon etiology or surgical treatment but mainly upon the patient's ASA score.