Vacuum-Assisted Closure in a Patient With Entero-Atmospheric Fistula: A Case Report

The entero-atmospheric fistula (EAF) is a recognized complication of open abdomen surgeries, which causes significant morbidity and mortality. This usually causes long hospitalizations and may require many surgical operations. While different methods of treatment for EAF are used, all different methods share the same goal, which is a proper closure of the fistula and the open abdomen to avoid recurrence and complications. We report a case of a 48-year-old female with a bowel perforation following an attempted open bilateral ovarian cyst drainage with cyst wall biopsy complicated by entero-atmospheric fistula treated by wound closure with vacuum-assisted pressure. In conclusion, the use of vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) to induce spontaneous healing of EAFs can provide a safe acceptable alternative to surgical treatment.