Background: A colosplenic fistula is an extremely rare complication of Crohn’s disease (CD) first described in a 1985 case report that remains relatively poorly understood due to its infrequent incidence. With only a few colosplenic fistulas reported worldwide, the diagnosis and management of patients with colosplenic fistula is vague. Hence, we described a review of patients with colosplenic fistula due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to summarize colosplenic fistula etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, management, and prognosis to help clinicians gain a better understanding of this unusual complication and provide an aid if it were to be encountered. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of articles published from 1946 to June 2022 in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Wiley Cochrane Library to identify patients with colosplenic fistulas. Studies with etiology of IBD were included. Results: The search strategy retrieved 141 references and a total of 4 studies reporting 4 patients with colosplenic fistula in the setting of IBD were analyzed. Most patients (75%) were male, with a median age of 33 years. All 4 (100%) patients had prior diagnosis of CD, with a median time of 12.5 years since diagnosis. Two patients had extraintestinal manifestations of IBD (uveitis, erythema nodosum, ankylosing spondylitis). Three patients were on long-term sulfasalazine and 2 (50%) were on corticosteroids. Etiology: Our review revealed that patients with CD formed a fistula tract from their colon to the adjacent spleen due to chronic, transmural inflammation and ulceration. Active inflammation was observed in the adjacent colon on pathology or endoscopy. Clinical features: Most patients presented with complaints of recurring fever, leukocytosis, and left upper quadrant pain or discomfort. Diagnosis: The most widely-used and effective diagnostic imaging was the computed tomography (CT) scan. CT with intravenous (IV) contrast helped identify splenic lesions and colonic thickening, while enteral contrast was useful to identify fistula tract. Chest X-rays, plain abdominal films, and colonoscopy were not essential in diagnosing a colosplenic fistula. Use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was not reported in any case. Management: Most patients were promptly treated with IV fluid and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Only one patient was started on IV steroids. Most patients underwent surgical intervention of colosplenic fistulas with splenectomy and segmental resection of the affected col1on. One case offered temporary diverting loop ileostomy with plans for future splenectomy and colectomy. Prognosis: Symptoms resolved with surgical intervention. No postoperative complications or mortalities were reported. Conclusion(s): Our review revealed that patients with Crohn’s disease can form a fistula tract from their diseased colon to the adjacent spleen due to transmural inflammation. Diagnosis can be achieved with a CT scan with enteral and/or intravenous contrast. Most colosplenic fistulas can be successfully treated with laparotomy, splenectomy, and resection of the affected colon with low rate of postoperative complications. Our pooled analysis of available colosplenic fistula cases may serve as an aid for diagnosis and management of this rare entity.
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