A colon and rectal surgeon diagnoses and treats various diseases of the intestinal tract, colon, rectum, anal canal and perianal area.
Swollen area of tissue, filled with pus.
The opening through which waste matter is excreted.
An abnormal passageway between a hollow organ and the skin’s surface.
An anal fistula is most often the result of a previous anal abscess. When an anal gland becomes clogged, they may become infected and an abscess can develop. A fistula is a small tunnel that forms under the skin and connects a previously infected anal gland to the skin outside the anus.
Many abscesses can be treated in a physician’s office using a local anesthetic. A small incision is made in the skin near the anus so the pus can be drained, which relieves the pressure.
Large or deep abscesses may need to be done in the hospital with general anesthesia. This is also often true for patients who are more prone to infection such as diabetics or for those individuals with a compromised immune system.
In some cases, surgery to repair an anal fistula may be performed at the time the abscess has been treated. However, many anal fistulas do not develop until 4 to 8 weeks after the abscess has been drained.
During the procedure, the surgeon opens the fistula tunnel, sometimes requiring cutting of the sphincter muscle. Next, the internal and external openings are joined and converted to a groove allowing it to heal from the inside out. A fistultomy is typically performed on an outpatient basis, although deep or extensive fistulas may require a short hospital stay.
Patients may feel mild to moderate discomfort for the first week, but is usually manageable with pain medication. Your physician will provide additional instructions that may include — but are not limited to — resting, taking sitz baths and using stool softeners.