How to cure anal fistula completely

Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on September 02, 2024
00:00
00:00

The radical treatment of anal fistula mainly involves surgery, with the choice of surgery being the anal fistula cutting and ligation operation. This primarily utilizes a ligature or elastic band to loop through the local sphincter, thereby achieving slow cutting and drainage of secretions. Anal fistula is considered a local infectious lesion at the anus, and the fundamental principle of the surgery is to remove the local fistula tract and the wall of the fistula completely through cutting and ligation, and after thoroughly removing the local infection, fresh granulation tissue can regrow. Due to the prolonged location of the local lesion in anal fistulas, postoperative wound dressing and drainage are very important. The wound can be disinfected daily with povidone-iodine, and gauze impregnated with oil can be used for pressurized drainage to help facilitate the flow of local secretions.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yu Xu Chao
Colorectal Surgery
1min 11sec home-news-image

What are the consequences of not treating anal fistulas?

Since an anal fistula is caused by the infection and inflammation of the anal glands, it connects the rectum or anal canal with the skin around the anus, forming repeated abscesses, pain, and discharge of pus and blood around the anus. If an anal fistula is not treated, more fistula tracts will develop over time, and more of the muscles around the anus will become infected. This can even lead to high, complex anal fistulas, making surgical treatment later on more difficult and could easily lead to anal incontinence. Also, if an anal fistula is left untreated for a long time, there is the possibility of malignant transformation. Therefore, in clinical practice, it is recommended to undertake surgical treatment for anal fistulas as early as possible. The surgery for an anal fistula mainly involves the removal of the internal opening and the fistula tract, which is essential for a complete cure. Postoperatively, it is necessary to persist in changing dressings to avoid infection or pseudohealing at the wound site. Moreover, patients should be mindful of their diet.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 2sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of anal fistula?

The clinical symptoms of anal fistula are mainly manifested as intermittent discharge of secretion from the local external opening near the anus, accompanied by varying degrees of pain in the anal area, and occasionally, pus is expelled with the stool. The main reason for its formation is that the anal fistula not only has an external opening, but also an internal opening near the dentate line of the anal canal. The internal opening discharges pus intermittently due to the stimulation of local inflammation. The composition of an anal fistula includes the internal and external openings, as well as the fistula tract that connects them; therefore, simply using medication cannot completely eliminate this lesion. The treatment of anal fistula is mainly surgical, aimed at removing the local lesion, with the principle of preserving the anal sphincter to avoid damage to it, which could affect the patient's future life.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
41sec home-news-image

How long does it take for an anal fistula to form?

An anal fistula is a tract left after an anal abscess bursts spontaneously or is surgically drained, generally consisting of a primary internal opening, a fistula tract, and a secondary external opening. Thus, an anal fistula and an anal abscess represent two stages of the same disease: initially, there is an anal abscess, and then, after the pus from the abscess is drained, an anal fistula forms. Typically, the transformation from an anal abscess to an anal fistula takes about two to three months, meaning that an anal fistula can form about three months after the abscess bursts.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yang Dong
Colorectal Surgery Department
28sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of an anal fistula?

Anal fistula is one of the common diseases in proctology. The most typical symptom of anal fistula is recurrent anal induration, accompanied by swelling, pain, and pus discharge, often with a ruptured external opening. During the quiescent phase, a hard cord can be felt leading from the ruptured external opening to the inside of the anus; during the acute inflammatory phase or abscess phase, pressing may cause pus to ooze from the ruptured opening.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yu Xu Chao
Colorectal Surgery
1min 7sec home-news-image

Is a second surgery for an anal fistula more difficult than the first one?

Relative to the initial procedure, a second surgery for anal fistula is more difficult. The main goal of anal fistula surgery is to remove the internal opening and the fistula tract completely to cure the condition. During a second surgery for an anal fistula, due to the previous operation, the internal opening may be unclear, and it can be difficult to distinguish between the fistula and scar tissue. This can lead to incomplete removal by less experienced surgeons, increasing the likelihood of the fistula recurring later. Therefore, for a second surgery on an anal fistula, it is essential to undergo the procedure in a specialized colorectal department at a provincial-level top-rated hospital. It is recommended to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the anal region before surgery to ensure precise operation and complete removal of the internal opening and fistula tract. Proper postoperative dressing changes are also crucial to avoid infection and inflammation of the wound, which will help with normal recovery after the surgery.