Foreword

Article Outline

• Copyright

Every surgeon who operates in the abdominal cavity fears complications, but perhaps none more than the development of a gastrointestinal fistula. This complication is associated with a substantial morbidity and mortality and will perhaps become more common in incidence as abdominal procedures are performed on a progressively aging population. In this issue of Current Problems in Surgery Dr. Myles Joyce and Dr. David Dietz of the Cleveland Clinic guide us through the diagnosis and management of patients with these challenging problems. This is an excellent monograph, which contains many valuable lesions for surgeons in all specialties and at all levels of clinical practice.