Somatostatin in the management of gastrointestinal fistulas. A multicenter trial.
To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) alone (group A) or combined with continuous intravenous infusion of somatostatin (group B) in postoperative gastrointestinal fistulas, a multicenter, controlled and prospective randomized trial was designed. We present the results obtained after the evaluation of 40 cases (group A, n = 20; group B, n = 20). No significant differences among these treatment schedules were observed in the percentage of closure of fistulas (group A, 81.25%; group B, 85%), but patients treated with total parenteral nutrition plus somatostatin had the fistulas close within a significantly shorter period of time. Moreover, this treatment was associated with a significantly lower morbidity. These preliminary results indicate that somatostatin is a useful therapeutic complement in the conservative treatment of patients with gastrointestinal fistulas.
Department of Surgery, University Hospital of San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
A J
AJ
Torres
J I
JI
Landa
M
M
Moreno-Azcoita
J M
JM
Argüello
G
G
Silecchia
J
J
Castro
F
F
Hernandez-Merlo
J M
JM
Jover
E
E
Moreno-Gonzales
J L
JL
Balibrea
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010185:Pancreatic Fistula / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D013004:Somatostatin