Early Foley Catheter Removal after Segmental Colectomy With Colovesical Fistula Closure for Patients With…

StudyAnnals of surgery· Jun 2026

Early Foley Catheter Removal after Segmental Colectomy With Colovesical Fistula Closure for Patients With Complicated Diverticulitis: A Single-Arm, Prospective Trial.

Benjamin Gallant, Andrew Hu, Alexandra Onyiego … Karim Alavi

Colon & Rectal SurgeryStudyClinical practiceQ1IF 6.2

Most patients undergoing colovesical fistula repair had their Foley catheter removed early.

Early Foley Catheter Removal after Segmental Colectomy With Colovesical Fistula Closure for Patients With Complicated Diverticulitis: A Single-Arm, Prospective Trial.

Benjamin Gallant … Karim Alavi

Annals of surgery · Jun 2026

Background

Colovesical fistula secondary to diverticulitis are typically treated with segmental resection and colovesical fistula closure, followed by postoperative bladder decompression using a Foley catheter.

Purpose

To evaluate the safety of early Foley catheter removal after segmental colectomy with colovesical fistula (colovesical fistula) closure in patients with diverticulitis.

Methods

This single-arm prospective trial (NCT05235204), conducted at a tertiary academic center from 6/2019-10/2025, included patients undergoing segmental colectomy with colovesical fistula closure for diverticular colovesical fistula.

90.8%

Results

90.8%

Most patients had their urinary catheter removed early after bladder-bowel surgery

More results

65 patients were studied.

Of these, 56 (86.2%) underwent colovesical fistula closure without bladder repair, seven (10.8%) required single-layer bladder repair, and two (3.1%) required two-layer bladder repair.

All post-repair intraoperative leak tests were negative.

More results

Readmission occurred in 4 patients (6.2%) within 30 days and 7 (10.8%) within 90 days.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Our study demonstrates the safety of early Foley removal, with no bladder leaks, Foley reinsertions, or colovesical fistula recurrences observed.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Early Foley removal should be considered for adoption as routine clinical practice following closure of colovesical fistula due to diverticulitis.

Early Foley Catheter Removal after Segmental Colectomy With Colovesical Fistula Closure for Patients With Complicated Diverticulitis: A Single-Arm, Prospective Trial.

Early Foley Catheter Removal after Segmental Colectomy With Colovesical Fistula Closure for Patients With Complicated Diverticulitis: A Single-Arm, Prospective Trial.

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