Clinical report. Management of rare postoperative ureterocolic fistula

Background: Ureterocolic fistula after acute colonic diverticulitis and colovesical fistula occurs rarely in patients with colonic diverticula.

Objective: We present our experience with diagnosis and treatment of postoperative ureterocolic fistula.

Methods: A 61-year-old male patient with acute colonic diverticulitis and colovesical fistula developed ureterocolic fistula after resection of sigmoid and descending colon, partial cystectomy and T-loop colostomy.

Results: The identification and subsequent management of this rare postoperative ureterocolic fistula emphasizes the importance of adequate preoperative evaluation, including the preoperative placement of ureteral stents to facilitate identification of the ureters, minimize inadvertent ureteral injury and treat possible coloureteral fistulas.

Conclusion: Our experience suggests that placement of ureteral stents allows successful treatment of postoperative urinary leakage into the peritoneal cavity through the ureterocolonic fistula and precludes major surgical intervention.