Gastrocutaneous fistula after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: An unforeseen mishap

A middle-aged woman presented to us with complaints of purulent discharge which was coming from the epigastric port site for two years following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which was performed at an outside hospital for asymptomatic gall stone disease. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the fistulous sinus track communicating with the anterior body wall of the stomach. At re-laparotomy, the sistulous sinus track was found and excised with primary repair of the defect in the stomach wall. The patient had an uneventful post-operative recovery and was doing well on follow-up. This was the second such case reported in literature where a common surgical procedure like laparoscopic cholecystectomy has led to the formation of gastrocutaneous fistula, which is a rare complication and was successfully managed.