How long does it take to recover after surgery for an anal fistula?

Written by Chen Tian Jing

Colorectal Surgery

Updated on October 24, 2024

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Healing after surgery for an anal fistula requires some time, and the longer healing duration is mainly related to two factors:

The first reason is that anal fistula is a localized infectious disease of the anus with the presence of a fistula. The principle of surgery is primarily to remove the fistula. Therefore, after the surgery, the wound surface from the removed fistula wall is relatively large and requires time to heal.

The second reason is that the local area around the anus is a contaminated wound, with feces passing through daily. Feces are a significant source of contamination, so the wound healing is influenced by the irritation from feces, resulting in a non-sterile wound environment. Consequently, the wound healing rate after the surgery is slower compared to the healing rate of sterile wounds in other body tissues. Therefore, the recovery time after anal fistula surgery is approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing

Colorectal Surgery

1min 1sec

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What are the consequences of not treating an anal fistula?

If an anal fistula is not promptly treated with surgery, it may lead to an increase in the number of local branches or a thickening of the fistula wall. If the branches of the anal fistula extend to the ischiorectal fossa, it may also lead to pelvic infections. Moreover, if the anal fistula persists for a long time or if there is significant local inflammatory stimulation, it may even lead to cancerous changes in the fistula. Therefore, once an anal fistula is discovered and diagnosed, it is recommended to promptly undergo surgical treatment with fistulotomy and seton placement. Post-surgery, it is crucial to ensure thorough disinfection of the local wound, debridement, and dressing changes, which are very important for the recovery of the wound. This helps prevent pseudohealing, ensuring that the anal fistula heals completely and preventing recurrent episodes.

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Written by Yang Dong

Colorectal Surgery Department

31sec

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What is the most accurate test for anal fistula?

As a common disease in proctology, simple anal fistulas can be diagnosed through visual inspection and palpation. For high-positioned complex anal fistulas, which cannot be accurately assessed through just visual inspection and palpation, the use of instruments may be necessary. Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended as the most accurate method for evaluating anal fistulas, and it is considered the gold standard for examining the course of the fistula tract and the location of the infection.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing

Colorectal Surgery

1min 10sec

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Will anal fistula cause bleeding during bowel movements?

If an anal fistula occurs, during the acute phase of the anal fistula, or when the internal and external openings of the anal fistula are ulcerated, there may also be bleeding during defecation. However, the bleeding from defecation due to an anal fistula is generally minor, and occasionally pus may also be discharged from the anus, or pus may be discharged from the external opening, causing itching or stinging of the skin around the external opening. If local pain or bleeding from defecation occurs with an anal fistula, prompt local anti-inflammatory treatment is needed; an anti-inflammatory ointment can be chosen for local application. However, the fundamental treatment for an anal fistula still requires surgery. It is generally recommended to directly perform a fistulotomy with seton placement to completely heal the fistula and prevent recurrent episodes.

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Written by Yu Xu Chao

Colorectal Surgery

1min 15sec

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Are hemorrhoids the same as anal fistulas?

Hemorrhoids and anal fistulas are two completely different diseases. Clinically, hemorrhoids can be divided into mixed hemorrhoids, internal hemorrhoids, and external hemorrhoids. Internal hemorrhoids are often characterized by intermittent, painless rectal bleeding, while external hemorrhoids primarily cause symptoms such as a foreign body sensation in the anus and itching. For the treatment of hemorrhoids, if the condition severely affects the patient's normal life, surgical treatment can be considered, such as external peeling and internal ligation surgery, and internal hemorrhoid banding. Anal fistulas are mainly due to perianal abscesses that rupture spontaneously or are incised and drained, subsequently forming an anal fistula, which causes the patient to experience recurrent perianal swelling pain and pus and bloody discharge. Treatment for anal fistulas can only be surgical, and early surgical intervention tends to result in relatively fast postoperative recovery. The surgery mainly involves the removal of the internal opening and the fistula tract, followed by diligent postoperative dressing changes to promote wound healing.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing

Colorectal Surgery

52sec

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How to relieve pain from anal fistula?

The main reason that anal fistulas cause pain is because they are severe infectious lesions. During the acute phase, local inflammation causes pain or itching around the external opening, along with discharge from this opening. To alleviate the pain caused by anal fistulas, one can first apply anti-inflammatory ointments to temporarily relieve the symptoms. It is also important to maintain cleanliness around the anal area. Hemorrhoid suppositories can be used to ease the inflammation in the anal and intestinal tract. However, to completely cure the pain from anal fistulas, besides conservative medication, surgical treatment is often necessary. The main surgical method for anal fistulas is fistulotomy with a seton placement, which thoroughly removes the local infection and prevents the recurrence of pain.