Postoperative Sinus Tract: A Rare Occurrence Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

A sinus tract is a rare clinical condition characterized by a blind-ended tubular structure extending from deeper tissues to the skin, commonly occurring postoperatively, especially after gastrointestinal surgeries. Its pathogenesis often involves the breakdown of fatty tissue, pyogenic infections, or the retention of foreign bodies such as surgical implants or sutures. One notable scenario includes sinus tract formation following laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to retained gallstones. Chronic cases are often associated with inadequate drainage of inflamed tissues, leading to granulation and subsequent scar tissue formation. In our case, a 34-year-old male presented with persistent discharge from the infraumbilical region for three months, accompanied by intermittent low-grade fever over the preceding two days and continuous lower abdominal pain. The patient had no significant comorbidities or harmful habits but had undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy six years earlier. Ultrasonography (USG) revealed an area of subcutaneous fat liquefaction in the left lumbar region, along with an extraperitoneal fistulous tract draining into the suprapubic region. The patient was treated surgically through sinus tract excision.