Dr. Subodh Varshney talks about Anal fistula, its causes, symptoms and treatment.
What are the symptoms of anal fistula?
- Discharge of pus from the anus
- Pain and swelling around anus
How Can It be Treated?
Fistula cannot be treated without surgery. Antibiotics only help to reducing symptoms for 1-2 weeks. After that infection may come back and there could be pus discharging from the anus. The infection due to fistula increases with time. If left untreated, it forms branches inside the anus which is known as complex fistula.
What Should A Patient Do?
You need to visit the doctor as soon as possible, if you feel that there could be accumulation of pus around the anus. After checkup if it is identified as Fistula then get it operated soon.
Why Does Fistula Form?
Fistula is a result of infection in the glands that are present in the anus. The infection leads to the formation of pus that will travel from glands to the cavities in the anus and discharge in the watery form.
- Constipation and hard stools.
- TB and Crohn’s disease can lead to the formation of fistula.
What Role Does Food Play?
Constipation can be one reason due to which fistula form and food is the major factor for constipation. If you eat healthy and fiber-rich food then chances of constipation reduces which decrease the chances of fistula formation.
What are the different treatment for Anal Fistula?
Surgery is the only treatment for Fistula.
- Open surgery – In this, the fistula is removed and the wound takes time to heal. It’s a traditional treatment and the success rate of open surgery in fistula is high if complete fistula tract is removed during surgery.
- Plug insertion – In this, the plugs are placed in the fistula tract. The failure rate of this surgery is quite high that’s why with time this treatment fizzles out.
- Laser surgery – We can use lasers to burn the tract of fistula.
You can always consult an Anal Fistula specialist near you
