Abstract
This report presents a case of the enteric fistulas in the open abdomen. An 18-year-old male was admitted to the emergency room following a traffic accident. Computed tomography showed abdominal free air and the rupture of the rectus abdominis muscle. He was diagnosed as having a perforation of the sigmoid colon, and Hartman's operation was therefore performed. The wound became an open abdomen on postoperative day (POD) 20. The open abdomen developed an enteric fistula on POD 28. Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) was initiated on POD 35. VAC was markedly effective, and oral ingestion could be administered with the stomal care on POD 70. The fistula was resected and the colostomy was closed on POD 214. VAC has been useful for the conservative treatment of the open abdomen and the open abdomen with an enteric fistula.
