Anorectal Surgery

If you are diagnosed with an anal abscess, surgeons at Celebration Health will make a small opening in the skin near the anus to relieve pressure that may have built up. This is performed as an outpatient procedure and requires local anesthetic.

If the abscess is deep or unusually large, the procedure may be more complex and require a brief hospitalization. This is also true if you suffer from complications such as a suppressed immune system or diabetes. Antibiotics don’t work well in these situations, since they can’t penetrate the abscess to reach the fluid and neutralize it. If you develop an anal fistula, it may clear up on its own without surgery.

Roughly half of all fissures respond well to non-surgical approaches. When an anal fistula does not respond to non-surgical interventions, surgery will be performed at the same time as the abscess procedure, if one is already present. Unfortunately a fistula may not form for a month or more after the abscess is drained, requiring a second surgery. Your surgeon will make a small opening in the sphincter muscle to access the fistula tunnel. The internal and external openings of the tunnel are joined so the anal fistula heals from the inside out.

In most cases, the surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, unless the fistula is unusually deep. In these cases, a brief hospital stay may be required. Following surgery you will experience discomfort, which can range from mild to moderate.

Your doctor will recommend soaking in warm water three to four times a day to promote healing and you’ll need to take a laxative or stool softeners to prevent the region from becoming strained during the healing process.

In the vast majority of cases you will have no lasting side effects from the surgery.

If you're interested in learning more about Anorectal Surgery options, please make an appointment today.