Enterocutaneous fistula as early presentation of Crohn's disease in an adult woman

BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Jan 23:2012:bcr1120115265. doi: 10.1136/bcr.11.2011.5265.

Abstract

Crohn's disease is a chronic transmural inflammatory process that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract, with several extra-intestinal manifestations. Though patients usually present with vague abdominal pain, initial presentation can be at an advanced stage or with extra-intestinal pathology. The authors report the case of a 59-year-old woman, who presented with a tubo-ovarian abscess that resulted in a protracted non-healing enterocutaneous fistula, which was eventually diagnosed as Crohn's disease approximately 2 years after initial presentation. Relevant literature is reviewed, as well as time-points where an earlier diagnosis could have been made thereby underscoring the importance of considering Crohn's Disease in a non-healing enterocutaneous fistula in an otherwise asymptomatic patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / diagnosis
  • Crohn Disease / diagnosis*
  • Crohn Disease / surgery
  • Debridement
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ileal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Ileal Diseases / surgery
  • Ileostomy
  • Intestinal Fistula / diagnosis*
  • Intestinal Fistula / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed