Complicated pancreatic fistula after gynecologic surgery for left fallopian tube carcinosarcoma: A case report

Abstract

Pancreatic fistulas are rare after gynecologic surgeries but are sometimes difficult to manage. A 62-year-old woman was admitted to a local hospital with acute abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) images showed subileus and an obstruction site in the transverse/descending colon, with invasion of peritoneal metastasis. A metal stent was placed in the bowel through colonoscopy. Suspecting advanced-stage ovarian cancer, the patient was referred to a tertiary hospital. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Due to concerns raised by gastrointestinal surgeons regarding the high risk of stent perforation during chemotherapy, an abdominal colectomy of the transverse/descending colon was performed along with the removal of the disseminated tumor and the stent. Post-surgery, the patient was histologically diagnosed with stage IVB left fallopian tube carcinosarcoma. On postoperative day 3, the patient developed a fever, and CT images showed an abscess around the pancreas/spleen, prompting the placement of a drainage tube. The amylase level in the drained fluid was 258,111 U/L, leading to a diagnosis of a pancreatic fistula. Conservative management was undertaken, with drainage, fasting, and octreotide administration. After two months, the drainage tube was removed as the volume of drained fluid had decreased. After four cycles of carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy, CT images showed partial response to chemotherapy, and interval debulking surgery was performed. The necessity of metallic stent placement should be carefully considered as the subileus caused by peritoneal metastasis might be alleviated by the induction of chemotherapy for gynecologic cancer.

Keywords

• Pancreatic fistula
• Fallopian tube cancer
• Diagnostic laparoscopy
• Metal colonic stent
• Case report