Anal fistula

Definition-An anal fistula is a tunnel that runs from inside the anus -- the hole your body uses to
get rid of solid waste -- to somewhere in the skin around it. It usually follows an infection that
didn’t heal the right way. Your doctor can repair the fistula, but you'll need surgery for that.

Causes

Just inside your anus are several glands that make fluid. Sometimes, they get blocked or clogged.
When that happens, a bacteria buildup can create a swollen pocket of infected tissue and liquid.
Doctors call this an abscess.

If you don’t treat the abscess, it’ll grow. Eventually, it’ll make its way to the outside and punch a
hole in the skin somewhere near your anus so the gunk inside it can drain. The fistula is the
tunnel that connects the gland to that opening.

Most of the time, an abscess causes a fistula. It’s rare, but they can also come from conditions
like tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, or an ongoing illness that affects your bowels.
C O N T I N U E R E A D I NG B E L O W

Symptoms-

The most common ones are:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling around your anus

You might also notice:

• Bleeding
• Painful bowel movements or urination
• Fever
• A foul-smelling liquid oozing from a hole near your anus

If you have any of these symptoms, call a doctor.

Diagnosis

Physical examination

History taking

CT scan
X Ray

Treatment

There’s no medication to fix the condition, so surgery is used. The procedure can usually take
place in a doctor’s office or clinic. You won’t have to go to the hospital.

• For a simple fistula that isn’t too close to your anus, the doctor will cut open the skin and muscle
surrounding the tunnel. This allows the opening to heal from the inside out.
• She may use a plug to close the fistula.
• For a more complicated fistula, the doctor might put a tube -- known as a seton -- into the
opening. This helps drain the infected fluid before surgery. It could take 6 weeks or more.