Anal fistula surgery: procedures, risks, etc. • hello healthy

Definition

AWhat is ani fistula surgery?

Anal fistula surgery is a procedure performed to treat fistulas as well as to treat damage to the sphincter muscles around the anus.

The sphincter muscles control when you have a bowel movement. If there is a problem with this muscle, then the sufferer can experience incontinence which makes it difficult for you to hold your bowel movements. This anal fistula can interfere with the function of the sphincter muscles.

Anal fistula is a tube that forms between the skin around the anus and the end of the large intestine. Often times, this condition initially appears due to an infection affecting the anal glands. This infection causes a collection of pus (abscess) which if not treated immediately will develop and leave the body.

The pus that comes out makes a pathway to the surface of the skin, keeping it open and forming a duct that connects to the infected gland.

When do I need to have anal fistula surgery?

Because anal fistulas cannot heal on their own, you should get medical attention if you experience them. In addition, surgery will save you from the risk of recurring abscesses.

Precautions & warnings

What should I know before undergoing fistula ani surgery?

If the doctor has referred you to undergo surgery, the doctor will tell you about the various procedure options available, along with the risks and benefits that will be obtained.

The most common operation is a fistulotomy. Later the doctor will explain what happens during the procedure and the risk of potential complications.

At this point, be sure to ask whatever questions you want to ask. If necessary, ask for more time to make decisions about what procedure to choose. If you have made a decision, you will be asked to sign a consent form.

Surgery is the standard treatment for anal fistulas. If it turns out that your condition is caused by Crohn's disease, surgery may not be necessary. Doctors may only prescribe drugs.

But back again, treatment procedures will be tailored to your condition. There are some patients who have to be treated with both drugs and surgery.

Process

What should I do before fistula surgery in ani?

You may be given an enema an hour or so before your operation to empty your lower intestine before surgery.

Generally, fistula ani surgery is carried out for one hour. If the fistula is small, you usually only need local anesthesia at the time of it. However, if the fistula is larger, the doctor may give general anesthesia.

Before having surgery, you will be given clear instructions before surgery, including whether you can eat ahead of the surgery schedule. In most cases, you should start fasting about six hours before the procedure begins.

How is this operation process done?

After the anesthesia has taken effect, your surgeon will insert an instrument called probe into the opening of the fistula. The doctor will then cut the skin and underlying tissue, exposing the top of the fistula. The wound is left open without stitches so that it can gradually heal. This type of surgery works well for the majority of patients affected by simple fistulas.

If the fistula has a branch that runs through the top of the sphincter muscle, your surgeon may place special sutures (called seton sutures) in the fistula to allow the pus to drain easily.

In larger fistulas, surgery can involve cutting a large amount of muscle. If this happens, anal fissure surgery can be done in more than one stage.

Alternatively, the doctor can use glue to seal and heal the fistula. In this procedure, the doctor uses fibrin glue, which is made of plasma protein. This glue will be injected through the outer opening after cleaning the fistula duct. Sometimes, collagen protein can also be used in this method.

Most patients can go home the same day or the day after. After having this surgery, you may experience pain and bleeding during bowel movements for the first one to two weeks.

At that time, you are usually advised to eat foods that contain lots of fiber and drink lots of fluids so that you have less pain during bowel movements.

Some people have difficulty walking after undergoing fistula anal surgery. To fix this, try to practice walking every day. Start by walking a little and gradually increase your duration and steps from the previous day. Walking exercises can increase blood flow and help prevent constipation.

Sometimes, the opening of the fistula will drain pus or blood. This is normal in the first days after surgery. You can fix this by placing gauze over the opening of the fistula to absorb blood fluid or pus. You may also want to use a bandage.

Rest for a few days, and walk as little as possible to help the wound heal. The recovery process until it is completely healed can take weeks, even months. Everyone experiences it at different times, depending on how big the fistula was operated on.

If you have questions related to this test process, please consult your doctor for a better understanding.

Complications

What complications can occur?

Although anal fistula surgery is safe, complications may still occur afterward. Complications can include infection, bleeding, or an unexpected reaction to the anesthesia. Some of the less common complications include:

loss of bowel control, which means that it is difficult for you to control when you want to pass urine or when you just want to pass gas,
wounds that heal longer,
recurrent fistula,
narrowing of the anal canal, usually occurs when the fistula begins to heal.

If you experience any of these unusual complications, go to your doctor right away for treatment. Don't hesitate to consult your doctor about possible complications or any other questions.