Gastrojejunocolic fistula after gastrojejunostomy in eastern Ethiopia: a case report

Abstract

Background: Gastrojejunocolic fistula (GJF) is an infrequent condition that presents late as a complication of gastroenterostomy conducted for complications of peptic ulcer disease and is believed to be a result of continuous acid secretion due to insufficient stomach resection and incomplete vagotomy. Symptoms of the fistula present late, usually 20 years or more after gastroenterostomy. Patients with GJF usually present with chronic on-and-off diarrhea, weight loss, fecal-smelling belching or vomiting, and malnutrition. Case Presentation: The case is of a 45-year-old man with GJF who presented with diarrhea, weight loss, and foul-smelling vomiting. The diagnosis was made intraoperatively despite preoperative investigations with computerized tomography scan and endoscopy. The patient underwent a single-stage operation, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Conclusion: Knowledge of this uncommon illness can aid in prevention through improved operative strategy and medical treatment during the stomal ulcer phase with proton pump inhibitor and Helicobacter pylori eradication