Pan XF, Cai Y, Cao YG. Small intestinal fistula caused by drainage tube removal: A case report. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(10): 111004 [PMID: 41178850 DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.111004]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yang-Gang Cao, Department of Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Yuhang District, No. 8 Yangshanwan Street, Yuhang District, Hangzhou 311115, Zhejiang Province, China. 13396522601@163.com
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Case Report
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 27, 2025 (publication date) through Nov 14, 2025
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World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
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1948-9366
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Pan XF, Cai Y, Cao YG. Small intestinal fistula caused by drainage tube removal: A case report. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(10): 111004 [PMID: 41178850 DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.111004]
World J Gastrointest Surg. Oct 27, 2025; 17(10): 111004 Published online Oct 27, 2025. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.111004
Small intestinal fistula caused by drainage tube removal: A case report
Xiao-Fei Pan, Yang Cai, Yang-Gang Cao
Xiao-Fei Pan, Yang-Gang Cao, Department of Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Yuhang District, Hangzhou 311115, Zhejiang Province, China
Yang Cai, Department of Surgery, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Pan XF made significant contributions to research design, specific experimental process management, data analysis, and manuscript writing; Cai Y made significant contributions to research design and data analysis; Cao YG made significant contributions to experimental technical support and results section. All authors reviewed the manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest regarding this work.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Yang-Gang Cao, Department of Surgery, The Third People's Hospital of Yuhang District, No. 8 Yangshanwan Street, Yuhang District, Hangzhou 311115, Zhejiang Province, China. 13396522601@163.com
Received: June 25, 2025 Revised: July 15, 2025 Accepted: August 20, 2025 Published online: October 27, 2025 Processing time: 126 Days and 4.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Small intestinal fistulas following drainage tube removal are rare but can cause significant morbidity. These complications are most commonly seen in the context of postoperative abdominal surgery. A small intestinal fistula secondary to drainage tube removal after sigmoid colon cancer surgery is particularly uncommon. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is often delayed due to nonspecific symptoms and the rarity of the condition.
CASE SUMMARY
We report a case of an 80-year-old man who developed a small intestinal fistula following the removal of an abdominal drainage tube after radical surgery for sigmoid colon cancer. On postoperative Day 8, the patient experienced abdominal pain and nausea immediately after the drainage tube was removed. Imaging studies and contrast injection confirmed the presence of a small intestinal fistula. The patient underwent a second surgery for partial small intestine resection and end-to-end anastomosis, followed by supportive care.
CONCLUSION
This case highlights the importance of recognizing the potential for small intestinal fistulas following drainage tube removal in postoperative patients. Prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention can lead to successful management and recovery.
Core Tip: Small intestinal fistulas after drainage tube removal are rare, especially after sigmoid colon cancer radical surgery. Nonspecific symptoms often delay diagnosis. This case reports an 80-year-old man who developed such a fistula, successfully treated with surgical repair and supportive care, highlighting the need for awareness of this rare complication.
