[The somatostatin analog SMA (201-995) as adjuvant treatment in patients with external fistulae of the digestive system].

: Six patients with gastrointestinal fistulae treated with a potent inhibitor of gastrointestinal hormones, the somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 are reported. All patients had severe intraabdominal diseases and underwent a mean of 3.5 surgery procedures during their hospital stay. When the patients were analyzed individually a mean reduction of 42.5% (P < 0.050 of basal fistulae output was observed after treatment. In three patients the fistulae closed after seven and ten days of treatment with the analogue; the other three patients died after a protracted hospital stay which included multiple admissions to the Intensive Care Unit. When the output of all fistulae treated where analyzed together it showed a tendency to decrease, but it didn't reach statistical significance.