Anal fistula picture

Anal fistulas are generally common among those who have had an anal abscess. Treatment is usually necessary to reduce the chances of infection in an anal fistula, as well to alleviate symptoms. An anal fistula is defined as a small tunnel with an internal opening in the anal canal and an external opening in the skin near the anus. Anal fistulas form when an anal abscess, that's drained, doesn't heal completely. Different types of anal fistulas are classified by their location. In order of most common to least common, the various types include: • Intersphincteric fistula. The tract begins in the space between the internal and external sphincter muscles and opens very close to the anal opening. • Transphincteric fistula. The tract begins in the space between the internal and external sphincter muscles or in the space behind the anus. It then crosses the external sphincter and opens an inch or two outside the anal opening. These can wrap around the body in a U shape, with external openings on both sides of the anus (called a horseshoe fistula). • Suprasphincteric fistula. The tract begins in the space between the internal and external sphincter muscles and turns upward to a point above the puborectal muscle, crosses this muscle, then extends downward between the puborectal and levator ani muscle and opens an inch or two outside the anus. • Extrasphincteric fistula. The tract begins at the rectum or sigmoid colon and extends downward, passes through the levator ani muscle and ...

An anal fistula is an uncomfortable, messy, condition. If you're dealing with one or more fistulas, you'll surely want them to be gone. I've put together a basic guide to anal fistulas to help you understand this difficult condition and what options are available. Anal fistulas require surgery, but there are multiple approaches to choose, including surgical removal of the tissue track using standard general surgery techniques or using a laser for ablation of the fistula track. What Is an Anal Fistula? An anal fistula, also known as fistula-in-ano, is a small channel that connects the rectum to the outer skin of the buttocks. When a fistula forms, it can cause complications for the sufferer, such as irritation, infection, and draining pus and fecal material. See a diagram of an anal fistula in the video below: Anal Fistula Symptoms You may experience pain with an anal fistula. Sometimes, the pain may be worse when you sit or use the restroom. The skin around your anus may feel irritated. If you have a fistula, you may notice discharge from the opening. This can be pus, blood or even fecal matter. Abscesses sometimes accompany fistulas. These can result in a fever. In some cases, patients may experience fecal incontinence as a symptom of fistula-in-ano. Anal Fistula Causes It is not entirely clear what causes all fistulas. They often arise from an abscess in an infected anal gland. Sometimes, fistulas are associated with a current abscess. Other times, fistulas occur after t...

Anal Fistula What is an anal fistula? An anal fistula is a small tunnel that connects an abscess, an infected cavity in the anus, to an opening on the skin around the anus. The anus is the external opening through which feces are expelled from the body. Just inside the anus are a number of small glands that make mucus. Occasionally, these glands get clogged and can become infected, leading to an abscess. About half of these abscesses may develop into a fistula. Symptoms and Causes What causes an anal fistula? The leading causes of an anal fistula are clogged anal glands and anal abscesses. Other, much less common, conditions that can cause an anal fistula include: • • Radiation (treatment for cancer) • Trauma • Sexually transmitted infections • • • Cancer What are the symptoms of an anal fistula? The signs and symptoms of an anal fistula include: • Frequent anal abscesses • Pain and swelling around the anus • Bloody or foul-smelling drainage (pus) from an opening around the anus. The pain may decrease after the fistula drains. • Irritation of the skin around the anus from drainage • Pain with bowel movements • Bleeding • Fever, chills and a general feeling of fatigue You should see your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms. Anal Fistula: Diagnosis and Treatment How is an anal fistula diagnosed? Your doctor can usually diagnose an anal fistula by examining the area around the anus. He or she will look for an opening (the fistula tract) on the skin. The doctor will the...

• Anoscopy: A tool is gently inserted into the anus to see the tissues there. • Colonoscopy: A flexible tube with camera and a light on the end is inserted into the rectum and up into the colon. • Flexible sigmoidoscopy: This is similar to a colonoscopy, except the tool is only used to see the first section of the large intestine, the sigmoid colon. • Proctoscopy: This is similar to an anoscopy, but can see further up, beyond the anus, and into the rectum. • Diet: Some changes to diet may be recommended by a healthcare provider, such as eating more foods with fiber or taking a fiber supplement, and drinking more water. • Lifestyle: A healthcare provider might recommend using a bidet instead of wiping after a bowel movement, using a • OTC: If constipation contributes to the problem, a stool softener might be recommended in addition to changes in diet and lifestyle. • Prescription medications: Topical medications include nitroglycerin, calcium channel blockers, and creams that might relieve pain by applying them directly to the anus. Oral drugs might be recommended when topical ones aren’t providing relief and might includecalcium channel blockers. Botox (botulinum toxin) injection is also an option. • Surgery: In some cases, when a fissure isn’t healing with more conservative methods, surgery might be used to treat the fissure and prevent a recurrence. The most common surgery is a Abscess treatment or drainage: If an abscess is found before it forms into a fistula, it may b...

An anal fistula is an abnormal tunnel under the skin thatconnects the anal canal in the colon to the skin ofthe buttocks. Most anal fistulas form in reaction to an anal gland that has developed a pus-filled infection (abscess). Symptoms The symptoms of an anal abscess and an anal fistula can be similar and may include: • Pain and swelling around the anal area • Fever and chills • Feeling tired and sick • Redness, soreness, or itching of the skin around the anal opening • Pus drainage near the anal opening Who's at risk If you develop an anal abscess, you have about a 50% chance of developing an anal fistula. Even if your abscess drains on its own, you have about the same risk for a fistula. Certain conditions that affect your lower digestive tract or anal area may also increase your risk. These include: • Colitis • Crohn's disease • Chronic diarrhea • Radiation treatment for rectal cancer Diagnosis If you have symptoms that suggest an anal fistula, your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist who specializes incolon and rectal diseases. The specialist will ask about your symptoms and your medical history. During your physical exam, the doctor will look for a fistula opening near your anal opening. He or she may press on the area to see if it is sore and if pus comes out. Different methods may be used to help with the diagnosis, such as: • Fistula probe. A long, thin probe is guided through the outer opening of the fistula. A special dye may be injected to find ou...

Abscess and Fistula ANAL ABSCESS AND FISTULA An anal abscess is an infected cavity filled with pus near the anus or rectum. An anal fistula (also called fistula-in-ano) is a small tunnel that tracks from an opening inside the anal canal to an outside opening in the skin near the anus. An anal fistula often results from a previous or current anal abscess. As many as 50% of people with an abscess get a fistula.However, a fistula can also occur without an abscess. CAUSES Small glands just inside the anus are part of normal anatomy. If the glands in the anus become clogged, this may result in an infection. When the infection is serious, this often leads to an abscess. Bacteria, feces, or foreign matter can also clog the anal glands and cause an abscess to form. Crohn’s disease, cancer, traumaand radiation can increase the risk of infections and fistulas. SYMPTOMS A patient with an abscess may have pain, rednessor swelling in the area around the anal area or canal. Other common signs include feeling ill or tired, feverand chills. Patients with fistulas have similar symptoms, as well as drainage from an opening near the anus.A fistula is suspected if these symptoms tend to keep coming back in the same area every few weeks. DIAGNOSIS Most anal abscesses or fistulas are diagnosed and managed based on clinical findings. Occasionally, imaging studies such as ultrasound, CT scanor MRI can help in the diagnosis and management of deeper abscesses and may be used to visualize the fistul...

Diagnosis To diagnose an anal fistula, your health care provider will discuss your symptoms and do a physical exam. The exam includes looking at the area around and inside your anus. The external opening of an anal fistula is usually easily seen on the skin around the anus. Finding the fistula's internal opening inside the anal canal is more complicated. Knowing the complete path of an anal fistula is important for effective treatment. One or more of the following imaging tests may be used to identify the fistula tunnel: • MRI can map the fistula tunnel and provide detailed images of the sphincter muscle and other structures of the pelvic floor. • Endoscopic ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves, can identify the fistula, the sphincter muscles and surrounding tissues. • Fistulography is an X-ray of the fistula that uses an injected contrast to identify the anal fistula tunnel. • Examination under anesthesia. A colon and rectal surgeon may recommend anesthesia during an examination of the fistula. This allows for a thorough look at the fistula tunnel and can identify any possible complications. Other options to identify the fistula's internal opening include: • Fistula probe. An instrument specially designed to be inserted through a fistula is used to identify the fistula tunnel. • Anoscope. A small endoscope is used to view the anal canal. • Flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. These procedures use an endoscope to examine the large intestine (colon). Sigmoido...

An anal fistula is a tunnel that runs from inside the What Causes It? 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 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 Most of the time, an abscess causes a fistula. It’s rare, but they can also come from conditions like What Are the Symptoms? The most common symptoms are: • • Redness • Swelling around your anus You might also notice: • Bleeding • Painful bowel movements or urination • • A foul-smelling liquid oozing from a hole near your anus If you have any of these symptoms, call a doctor. How Is It Diagnosed? If the doctor thinks you have an anal fistula, they'll ask about your medical history and give you a Some fistulas are easy to spot. Others aren’t. Sometimes they close on their own, then open back up. Your doctor will look for signs of oozing fluid or bleeding. The doctor might stick a finger into your anus during the exam. The doctor will probably send you to a specialist in 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 allo...

Check for pain around the anus or genitals. Pain and irritation are common symptoms of many types of fistulas. You may experience pain and swelling around anus, genitals, or the area between the genitals and anus (the perineum). X National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK • Anal fistulas may cause pain during bowel movements. X Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals • Fistulas involving the vagina may cause pain during sexual intercourse. X Research source Look for unusual bleeding or discharge. Fistulas may cause bleeding or discharge around the anus or genitals. You may notice that the discharge is foul-smelling, or that it contains pus. X National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK • If you have a vaginal fistula, you may have vaginal discharge that contains pus or feces. You might also notice gas leakage from your vagina. Make note of urinary problems. Fistulas involving the bladder can cause a variety of urinary tract symptoms. In addition to frequent urinary tract infections, you may experience: • Difficulty holding your urine, or leakage of urine from unusual places (e.g., your vagina). • The passage of gas from your urethra (the opening between your bladder and your genitals) when you pee. • Discolored, cloudy, or bad-smelling urine. Watch for gastrointestinal symptoms. Fistulas can cause pain in the pelvis or abdomen. You might also notice nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. While these c...