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| (Source: www.tampacolorectal.com) |
Symptoms
The
most common ones are:
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling around your anus
You might also notice:
- Bleeding
- Painful bowel movements or urination
- Fever
- A foul-smelling liquid oozing from a hole near your anus.
If you have any of these
symptoms, call Amana Specialist Clinic: 02-6228660
Look
for signs and symptoms of an anal fistula
- Discharge of pus or blood from the anus
- Pain around the anus that may be relieved as the discharge increases
- Pain during a bowel movement
Our specialist doctor will
look for any swelling, redness, or opening of a fistula in your anal area. Our
doctor may also check your rectum by inserting a gloved finger into your anus.
He may also try to feel abnormal tissue. You may need any of the following
tests:
- Anoscopy: A clear lotion is put onto a short plastic or metal tube. The tube is then gently pushed into your anus and up the rectum. Your healthcare provider can also take samples of bowel movement to be sent to a lab for tests.
- Fistulography: This is a type of x-ray that shows how deep the fistula is and where it started. A probe or catheter (tube) will be inserted into the opening of the fistula. A dye may be put into the fistula tract (pathway) to make it show up better on the x-ray.
- MRI: This machine uses magnetic waves to look at your intestine. This will help healthcare providers check the length of the fistula. You will need to lie still during an MRI. Never enter the MRI room with any metal objects. This can cause serious injury.
- Sigmoidoscopy: A sigmoidoscopy test looks for changes in your intestinal (bowel) wall that may be caused by a disease or condition. This test may also help find the cause of bleeding or pain. A long, thin tube with a tiny camera on the end is put through your anus into your rectum (rear-end). It also goes to the part of your intestine called the sigmoid. Caregivers will look for problems in your rectum and lower colon. A small amount of tissue may be taken from the intestine wall and sent for tests. Follow your caregiver's instructions for what to do before, during and after the test.
- Transanal ultrasound: This is a test that looks inside your rectum to check for a large fistula. A small tube is placed into your anus. Sound waves are used to show pictures of your organs and tissues on a monitor. Hydrogen peroxide may be injected into the tract of the fistula before the test.
Procedures:
- Incision and drainage: Our specialist doctor may break the abscess to drain the pus. This is done by making an incision in or near the affected area. A catheter (tube) may be put in place for some time to allow the remaining pus to drain.
- Surgery: You may need to have surgery to drain a very large abscess. If you have a fistula, surgery may be done to open and clean up the fistula tract. This may be left open until it heals on its own.