A fistula is a clump of tissues affecting two structures in the body. It can develop anywhere in the body; however, the most common location of a fistula is the anus. The resulting event may lead to pain and discomfort and intrude on the quality of your life. If the outer hole of the fistula closes, it creates a swollen, pus-filled, and painful abscess.
There are many causes of fistula—infection, surgery of the anus or rectum, foreign bodies in the rectum, and inflammatory bowel disease, to name a few. In many cases, surgery becomes a usual course of treatment to remove it from the body.
What is Fistula Surgery?
The purpose of fistula surgery is to remove an abnormal tissue connection and the area surrounding the same. Depending on the severity of your condition and overall health, the doctor may perform one of the following surgeries to remove the fistula from your body.
Fistulotomy
It is the most common surgical procedure that involves severing the fistula along its full length to open it. This method promotes quick healing of the flat scar. The complications are low as the surgeon creates small incisions of the anal sphincter muscle to treat the condition.
Fistulectomy
This surgery comprises complete excision of the fistulous tract, which helps remove the risk of missing secondary tracts. The procedure offers complete tissues for histopathological examination and leads to faster recovery over other methods.
Seton Surgery
Seton surgery for fistula takes an hour. The patient is given anesthesia so that they don’t feel the effects of the operation. Depending on how complicated the fistula is, the doctor takes an hour or so to remove it. The patient may require additional operations to correct the seton applied to the region. After this procedure, the fistula may continue draining for a few weeks.
Advancement Flaps
Advancement flaps are an approach adopted if the fistula runs through sphincter muscles and any other procedure becomes risky to operate the condition. Under this procedure, a flap of tissue obtained from the interior of the rectum is used to cover the hole where the fistula entered after being scraped or cut.
Laser Surgery
It is an advanced and less invasive procedure that helps the surgeon close a fistula using a laser fiber. The laser is inserted into the fistula to the rectum’s entrance. With the help of a laser beam, the fistula is sealed inside the body.
How Long Does Recovery from Fistula Surgery Take?
The recovery time after fistula surgery may vary, depending on the method your doctor has adopted to treat your condition. The average downtime is around six weeks for complete healing. You may have to follow up with your doctor even after getting discharged to check your recovery. They will change the dressing so that the wound remains clean and heals faster.
The doctor will advise you to wear a gauze pad on the location of the fistula for the first and second weeks to protect your clothing from leakage.
How Does Fistula Surgery Improve Quality of Life?
While you can adopt various home remedies and other methods to treat fistula, surgery is the ultimate solution that will provide long-term benefits to treat your condition. Surgery helps improve the quality of your life in many ways.
- Fistula surgery is successful for a majority of patients, and the recurrence rates are minimal. The success rate of fistula surgery in India is 92-97 percent, respectively.
- If you take care of your wound in the first few weeks after the surgery, you will not experience any anal abscesses after it.
- The pain and swelling that may have been bothering you for a long time immediately vanishes after fistula surgery.
- The fistula causes bloody and foul-smelling drainage; however, the pain and the drainage stops, and the region remains clean and dry after complete wound healing.
- You don’t experience any bleeding after fistula surgery.
- Many people with fistula suffer from painful bowel movements. Opting for surgery ensures there is no pain in the bowel movements.
- You can resume all your daily life activities that have become difficult because of the pain caused by the fistula.
- You can work out at the gym without pain and discomfort and follow other routine activities.
Recovery Tips After Surgery
After the surgery, your doctor will give you some recovery tips that you must follow for a smooth and fast recovery. These tips will also subside the pain and other problems arising from the surgery:
- Opt for a sitz bath every day using warm water for 15-20 minutes.
- Use laxatives or stool softeners for a week.
- Keep your wound clean and dry by doing proper dressing.
- Take your medicines and antibiotics on time to avoid any delay in the recovery process.
- Follow up with your doctor regularly.
Takeaway
Fistula surgery improves your quality of life in many ways. If you have been struggling with pain and discomfort for a long time, opt for the right surgical procedure after having a word with your doctor.
