Latest review for the treatment of Anal Fistulas

Introduction:

Call it a clinical challenge or complicated medical pathogenesis, Anal Fistulas are frequently recurring abnormal tunnel-like structures that are connected with the outer skin of the buttocks. These mostly remain silent but in case of any infection, inflammation, or any other issues, the fistula can cause a lot of pain and irritation. You can easily catch the symptoms that show that your fistula is causing all the trouble you are facing. Some of the common ones are acute pain and swelling near the anal area, high fever with chills, soreness, redness, and itching near the anal area, feeling too tired and sick, and thick pus-like liquid draining out of the anal opening.

So, if you are having any of these symptoms, it’s time to go to a good surgeon who can provide you with a new treatment for fistulas. However, you have to take a few measures that can help you get some relief before you reach your doctor’s clinic.

• Make sure that you soak your buttock area in a warm water tub approximately three to four times a day. This will help in reducing the pain, inflammation, and stiffness near the anal area. It will also help in relaxing your buttocks and give you a warm feeling.
• Must follow a high fiber diet that can help the body to digest the food and remove the waste material easily. This reduces constipation as well as bloating.
• Must take some laxative compound that is prescribed by the doctor or any stool softener that helps the waste material to come out easily without putting up any pressure on the anal opening.
• Make sure to clean the anal area with some good antiseptic liquid that can kill the germs and infectious bacteria near the anal space.

Now, we shall discuss the main treatment programs that give better results and good recovery after the procedure is done.

• Fistulotomy: 

This process of treating the fistulas includes an invasive procedure that is carried out to open the fistula. The canal is opened so that it can start healing from the inside out. It will look like a plain scar that is healing near the canal.  If your doctor has advised you of this treatment option, there is no need to plan a week-long stay in the hospital. You just have to go to the outpatient section and it will take just a few hours before you can go back to your place. We can say that it’s a same-day discharge procedure so you need not worry about anything else.  However, the doctor treating you for this condition must be experienced to do this job as for some it can be a new treatment for fistula. 

• Use of Plugs or Special Glue: 

According to this treatment program, your doctor will close the inner side opening of the fistula first. Then he shall fill the tunnel with some material that is safe and easy for the body to absorb. After plugging the fistula, you won’t feel any pain or discomfort and there is very less chance of inflammation or infection in that area.

• Reconstructive Surgery: 

One more option to treat the anal fistula is reconstructive surgery. This procedure is advised for patients who complain about reoccurring anal fistulas. So, the doctors make sure that the reconstructive surgery helps such patients to get rid of these fistulas finally.

• Placing the Seton: 

In this process, the doctor shall place a rubber-like structure or a suture in the fistula. Once placed, the doctor will tighten the circumference and grip it perfectly. This will help the fistula to heal behind that rubber band and leave a very small window for incontinence.

So, these four options can be marked as a few best treatment plans for the anal fistulas. People can get rid of this problem by consulting the best colorectal surgeon across their city and letting him give a proper check-up to advise the appropriate treatment plan.  

On the other hand, if you have been treated for anal fistula before & now you are facing some other issues like – fever, redness, chills, liquid discharge, swelling near the anal area, bleeding, constipation, nausea, dizziness, loss of bowel control, you need to contact your doctor immediately. You don’t have to wait for these symptoms to subside with time. It can cause more trouble than anything good. So, don’t ignore these symptoms and consult your surgeon again to be sure that the treatment he has provided is correct and the underlying cause behind these health issues.

Your doctor will even advise you to follow after-surgery patient care protocols to make sure that your anal area is healing properly. You can simply resume your day-to-day activities just after your surgeon will clear you for it.

Conclusion:

Anal fistulas can be very scary and painful especially if they are infected or inflamed. You must consult the top colorectal surgeon who is the best person to advise you on an appropriate treatment program for it. You can ask your family or friends if they know about someone in particular or you can browse your search engine and look for the top surgeons across the country where you can book an appointment.