Last Updated on November 20, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
A fistula is an abnormal connection between two parts of the body. It can happen between two organs or vessels in the body. They can occur in various areas of the body. However, the most common ones are anal, urinary tract and gastrointestinal fistulas. The first line of treatment is through medications, such as antibiotics and if that fails then a fistula surgery is needed. Whether a fistula needs an operation or not is entirely dependent on the condition of the patient. There are various types of fistula treatment options available.
Can I avoid a fistula operation?
Not necessarily. There are various types of fistulas, most of which require surgical intervention. Some fistulas can be treated only with antibiotics and other medications. In cases when these interventions don’t work, surgical removal of the fistula may be necessary. One cannot determine if antibiotics or other medications can treat the fistula until the location (anal or urinary tract or gastrointestinal, etc.) and severity is determined by a healthcare expert. However, most of the cases require surgery.
The NHS states that usually, surgical intervention is necessary to treat an anal fistula as these types of fistulas normally usually do not heal on their own. Various types of surgical procedures are there and the position of the fistulas and whether it’s a single channel or branches off in different directions will determine the type of surgery needed.
According to Hopkins Medicine, once a person gets an anal fistula, antibiotics alone will not cure it and surgery is needed to treat it.
A few options other than surgery include using a medical plug, placing a thin surgical cord called a seton to drain the infection and heal it, using a medical glue and opening up the fistula with an incision along its length to allow it to heal.
How serious is a fistula operation?
Fistulas can cause a lot of discomfort and, if left untreated, may cause serious complications.
For small fistulas, the doctor may perform an in-office procedure. A procedure called fistulotomy is done to open and drain the fistula. The doctor may apply stitches to seal the fistula, allowing it to heal.
Larger fistulas will require proper surgery to close them properly. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics and painkillers to prevent infections. Also, in the case of anal fistulas, even stool softeners might be prescribed to make bowel movements easier while healing.
Small fistulas may take just a few days or weeks to heal. However, larger fistulas can take a longer time to heal and may even require additional surgeries.
The surgery, like any other surgery, comes with certain complications, which may be general or specific. The general complications include pain, bleeding, infection, allergic reaction and scarring. Rarely, the patient may experience difficulty passing urine, bowel incontinence, involuntarily passing wind or losing faeces.
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