Best treatment method for anal fistula abscess

Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on September 24, 2024
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The best treatment method for anal fistula and perianal abscess is surgical treatment, which is also the only curative method. Conservative treatment using drugs alone can only alleviate local inflammatory symptoms and cannot achieve complete cure.

The main surgical method is the cutting and threading technique. This involves threading and ligating the infected area and the sphincter muscle. Through the slow cutting and drainage action of the ligature, the infection focus is removed while protecting the anal sphincter. Postoperatively, it is also important to pay attention to disinfecting and draining the local wound, ensuring proper dressing changes, and preventing poor drainage that could lead to infection or recurrence. It is advised that patients avoid spicy and irritating foods for the first six months after surgery.

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Written by Yang Dong
Colorectal Surgery Department
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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.

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Written by Yu Xu Chao
Colorectal Surgery
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Is an anal fistula close to the anus considered high or low position?

In general, anal fistulas close to the anus are considered low anal fistulas. Clinically, anal fistulas are classified as either high or low based on the levator ani muscle as the boundary. Those located above the levator ani muscle are considered high anal fistulas, while those below are considered low anal fistulas. Clinically, the treatment for anal fistulas primarily involves surgical intervention. Options include fistulectomy, which involves the removal of the internal opening and the fistula tract. Post-surgery care may include the use of anal cleansing agents, red oil gauze strips, and golden ointment for dressing changes to promote wound healing. It is important to maintain smooth bowel movements and consume a light diet. High, complex anal fistulas may easily damage the anal sphincter or even the anorectal ring, leading to fecal incontinence. Therefore, during surgery, the thread hanging method may be chosen to avoid excessive damage to the anal sphincter.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How long does it take to recover after surgery for an anal fistula?

After surgery for an anal fistula, the general recovery time is about twenty days to a month. The duration of recovery mainly depends on the size of the local lesion before surgery, as well as the surgical wound postoperatively, and also relates to the patient's constitution. Particularly, if the patient has certain underlying diseases, such as diabetes or a history of tuberculosis, the recovery time may be relatively extended. The wound after an anal fistula surgery is an open wound contaminated with bacteria, so postoperative wound dressing changes are very important for wound recovery. It is recommended that the secretion from the local wound be cleared daily, followed by disinfection with povidone-iodine, then application of an anti-inflammatory ointment, and covering the wound with an oil gauze strip for drainage to avoid poor drainage leading to false healing of the local wound.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Is anal fistula prone to recurrence?

If active anal fistulotomy and thread-drawing surgery are carried out after the onset of an anal fistula, it generally does not recur easily. However, if patients do not pay attention to good dietary and defecation habits after being discharged, it may lead to the reoccurrence of the anal fistula. This is because there are multiple anal crypts within the anal canal, and removing the local anal crypts during this episode does not guarantee that other anal crypts will not become inflamed or infected in the future. Especially when patients consume excessive amounts of chili peppers or alcohol, or when they experience diarrhea, it can potentially trigger another infection of the anal crypts. Therefore, to prevent recurrence of anal fistulas, it is necessary to cultivate good defecation and dietary habits to avoid the reoccurrence of anal fistulas.

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Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
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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.