Abstract
We carried out endoscopic examination for 31 cases with postoperative fistula, and evaluated clinical significance and limitation of the method. Observation was proceeded by using a choledochof iberscope with irrigation. In 13 cases, no cavity of abscess was observed, while recurrences of the cancer or the myxoma were histologically found in 2 of them. In the other 11 cases, the drains were removed and the fistulas were closed in 5.2 days on the average. In 18 cases with cavity of abscess, possible sources of infection like silk worm-gut as well as necrotic substances were eliminated. The drains were transferred to an effective site, and the cavities of absces were irrigated every day. As a result, the cavities of abscess faded out early in these cases in which the sources of infection were able to be eliminated. On the other hand, in cases with an anastomotic leakage or with a wide dead space, it took a longer period to close the cavity of abscess. In a case that osteomyelitis was the source of infection, the cavity of abscess was not closed. As for the technical problems, introduction of drainage was difficult in such cases that had a complexly bent and branched fistula. As mentioned above, the endoscopic examination of fistula revealed a certain limitation, but it would be of great significance for clinical use.
