Utilization of point-of-care ultrasound to evaluate for enterovesical fistula

Abstract

Enterovesical fistula formation is a relatively rare disease process although a common complication for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), notably Crohn's disease. Enterovesical fistulas most commonly arise from diverticulitis (65-80%), cancer (10-20%), or Crohn's disease (5-7%). An increasing amount of evidence supports the use of ultrasonography as the primary imaging method for the monitoring of complications in individuals with a documented history of IBD. Our case report presents a 30-year-old female with a history of Crohn's disease who presented to the Emergency Department with concern for possible enterovesical fistula formation. Using bedside gray-scale ultrasonography, a fistulous tract clearly visualizing air bubbles and fecal matter actively moving from bowel to the bladder through the fistula was visualized confirming the diagnosis of an enterovesical fistula. While CT imaging is instrumental in identifying mural and extramural complications of IBD, performing ultrasonography in patients with IBD serves as an efficient, inexpensive, and noninvasive diagnostic aid for the diagnosis of enterovesical fistula.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; Enterovesical fistula; Fistula; Inflammatory bowel disease; Point-of-care ultrasound.