What is anal fistula?

Anal Fistula: An anal fistula is an abnormal passage that forms between the inside of the anal canal or rectum and the skin near the anus. It often develops as a result of an infection in an anal gland and can cause symptoms such as pain, swelling, and discharge of pus or feces.

Anal Fistula Treatment

FILAC ( Fistula-tract Laser Closure )

A defined amount of laser energy is then emitted circumferentially into the fistula tract. The laser energy causes controlled photothermal destruction of the fistula tract causing it to collapse to a high degree. This also helps supports and accelerates the healing process.

Fistulectomy

The surgeon makes an incision to expose the entire length of the fistula tract. The tract is then carefully dissected and removed, along with any surrounding infected or damaged tissue. Once the fistula tract has been excised, the remaining tissue is typically closed with sutures to promote healing and prevent recurrence of the fistula.

LIFT ( Ligation of Interspincteric Fistula Tract )

This procedure is usually performed for Complex or Deep fistulas. A seton is first placed in the fistula tract, forcing it to widen over time. A few weeks later, the surgeon removes the infected tissue and closes the internal fistula opening. The advantage of this procedure is that the fistula is accessed between the sphincter muscles thus avoiding cutting them. However, the success rate of LIFT is ~70% with an impaired healing in 20-30% cases.