Gastrosplenic fistula in Hodgkin's lymphoma treated successfully by laparoscopic surgery and chemotherapy

A gastrosplenic fistula is a rare complication of a gastric or splenic lesion. We report a case of Hodgkin's lymphoma (nodular sclerosis) involving the spleen that was complicated by spontaneous gastrosplenic fistula. The fistula was closed laparoscopically and the patient underwent partial gastrectomy and gastric wall repair followed by successful chemotherapy. This is also the first reported case in published literature where the closure of gastrosplenic fistula and partial gastrectomy was carried out laparoscopically. We recommend that extensive open surgical procedures including total gastroectomy, splenectomy and pancreatectomy may be avoided in the management of gastrosplenic fistula and the patient could be managed by less radical, simple laparoscopic fistulectomy, with partial gastric resection. If the fistula is caused by a malignant process, the surgical repair should be followed by definitive treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. (author)