Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Quality of life of patients after surgical treatment of anal fistula; the role of anal manometry.

Colorectal Disease 2001 November
OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to assess the quality of life of patients after surgical treatment of anal fistula and to investigate whether anal manometry (AM) can guide the choice of the proper surgical intervention in these patients in order to protect the sphincter mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred patients with anal fistula (AF) were studied prospectively (78 men; mean age 45 years; range 11-78). Cleveland Incontinence Score (CIS) was record pre-operatively and 1 and 3 months postoperatively for each patient in order to specify their quality of life (QOL) before and after the surgical treatment. Also, anal manometry (AM) was performed pre-operatively and 1 month postoperatively. The pre-operative anal pressures and the type of fistula determined the kind of the surgical treatment. 55 patients had an intersphincteric fistula, 42 trans-sphincteric and 3 suprasphincteric. 65 patients underwent laying open of the fistulous track, 7 fistulectomy and 28 were treated by seton fistulotomy.

RESULTS: Three patients had defective gas control and 6 reported some degree of soiling. 3 patients developed recurrent fistula. CIS was significantly impaired (P=0.02) at the first postoperative month in these patients who were treated for trans-sphincteric fistula by fistulotomy; AM revealed significant decrease of anal pressures in these patients (resting and squeeze; P=0.007 and 0.0001 respectively); CIS and AM in the remaining cases revealed no significant deterioration of QOL and fall of anal pressures respectively. CIS was normal in the vast majority of patients at 3-months postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS: QOL of patients after surgical treatment of AF is unalterable on the understanding that the AF is simple and the treatment is not associated by incontinence or recurrence. Pre-operative AM is important regarding the choice of the proper surgical procedure.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app