Do postpartum anal fissures require surgery?

Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

Updated on April 12, 2025

00:00

00:00

For postpartum women who experience anal fissures, whether or not they can undergo surgical treatment requires a specific examination to determine the severity of the fissure, and then select a targeted treatment.

For mild anal fissures, treatment can be administered through medications, which involves applying topical medications, as well as cleaning the affected area in daily life, which can gradually aid in the recovery of the fissure. It is not the case that all anal fissures must be cured through surgery.

However, for some severe anal fissures that are also accompanied by serious infections, this situation necessitates dealing with the affected tissues before the anal fissure can be healed.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Chen Tian Jing

Colorectal Surgery

1min 9sec

home-news-image

How to treat anal fissures and constipation?

Anal fissures and constipation are generally accompanying symptoms. When the stool is dry, the patient exerts excessive force during defecation, causing the stool to tear the local anal sphincter and mucosa, resulting in an anal fissure. Prolonged and recurrent anal fissures, due to the contraction of the local anal sphincter, can make defecation difficult for patients, or, because of the severe pain during defecation, patients may avoid defecating. This leads to stool remaining in the intestinal lumen for too long, causing the stool to dry out and further inducing constipation. To treat anal fissures and constipation, it is first necessary to lubricate the stool. One can take oral medications for lubricating the intestines and easing bowel movements or use topical lubricants. Treatment can also be complemented with anal dilation therapy or surgery through endoscopic incision, and applying a traditional Chinese medicine hot compress to the local fissure.

home-news-image

Written by Chen Tian Jing

Colorectal Surgery

1min 17sec

home-news-image

What should I do about anal bleeding and anal fissures?

If a fissure is visible to the naked eye at the anal sphincter during a digital rectal examination, it is primarily considered an anal fissure. Anal fissures generally cause severe local pain and bleeding from the fissure. The fissure is primarily due to the local crack being stretched or opened, causing bleeding from small blood vessels, and the blood from the fissure is usually bright red. To treat bleeding from an anal fissure, it is first necessary to soften the stool, as the occurrence of an anal fissure is mainly related to dry stools and difficulty defecating. Once the stool is lubricated, it can reduce the need to exert excessive force during defecation, lowering the possibility of stretching the local fissure. Topical application of hemorrhoid cream at the fissure, or combined with oral medications that cool the blood and stop bleeding, may be used. If there is repeated bleeding from an anal fissure, surgical treatment is also recommended. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

home-news-image

Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

55sec

home-news-image

How to treat postpartum constipation and anal fissures?

In cases of postpartum constipation, if it becomes severe and leads to an anal fissure, it is necessary to visit the hospital's proctology department for an examination. When an anal fissure occurs, it generally requires the use of medications to invigorate blood and dissolve stasis to facilitate wound healing. You can also apply some grease around the wound to increase the lubrication of the muscles around the anus, which can alleviate some of the difficulties experienced during defecation. In daily life, it is important to drink more water, consume plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid spicy and irritating foods that can cause internal heat, and you can also use a potassium permanganate solution for sitz baths to alleviate local pain. If the condition of the anal fissure is severe, surgical treatment may be necessary.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Ji Zhong

Internal Medicine

52sec

home-news-image

Is anal fissure prone to recurrence?

Anal fissures are prone to recurrence, and the main reasons for recurrence are prolonged sitting or standing, leading to relaxation of the intestinal muscles and insufficient motility, which can cause constipation. During bowel movements, the damaged area can be scratched, resulting in anal fissures. Due to excessive strain, mental stress, and physical fatigue, metabolism can be affected, leading to indigestion and constipation, which can cause anal fissures. Sometimes irregular eating habits and consuming spicy, greasy, and irritating foods can cause constipation, thus aggravating the fissure and leading to its recurrence. An imbalance in intestinal flora can impair digestion and cause constipation, leading to anal fissures. The fundamental treatment for anal fissures is surgical intervention.

home-news-image

Written by Hu Xiang Dang

Colorectal Surgery Department

1min 31sec

home-news-image

What should I do if I have an anal fissure?

So, what should we do if we have an anal fissure? Generally, for patients with early-stage anal fissures where the fissure is still fresh and without complications such as sentinel piles, hypertrophied anal papillae, anal papillitis, anal stenosis, subcutaneous fistulae, or subcutaneous abscesses, conservative treatment under medical supervision can be pursued. First, altering the diet by increasing water intake and consuming more vegetables and fruits can improve the characteristics of the stool. Post bowel movement, traditional Chinese herbal remedies for pain relief, such as Shen Tang, or sitz baths using potassium permanganate solution can be used. Locally, applications like Longzhu Ointment or Jiuhua Ointment may be applied. If constipation is present, stool softeners should be used to aid bowel movements. In the chronic stage, if symptoms are only accompanied by internal sphincter spasm and no other complications such as sentinel piles or hypertrophied anal papillae, in addition to the general treatments mentioned above, anal dilation can be considered. If dilation is ineffective, then surgical treatment should be considered at this time. For patients with chronic anal fissures who also have symptoms like sentinel piles, hypertrophied anal papillae, anal stenosis, or for those who have had prolonged ineffective treatment of initial anal fissures, it is advisable to seek surgical treatment at a hospital.