Interventional treatment of Anal Fistula: A Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: Anal fistula is a benign anorectal disease. Infection of Hermann and Desfosses anal glands is responsible for the formation of abscesses and/or fistulas. The main treatment is surgery but recurrence and sometimes incontinence are frequently observed. So to choose surgical methods of anal fistula treatment is very important. Aim: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the reliability and feasibility of Video-assisted anal fistula treatment (VAAFT) at the anal fistula surgery. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on data collected during a 11-year period (2008-2019) from 52 patients who underwent fistulotomy with loose seton technique. The male to female ratio was 3:1 and the mean patient age was 48.34 years. Results: Mortality, recurrence, complications rate were 0%. Though the patients were scheduled as day-surgery cases, the average duration of hospital stay was 1.18 days. Quality of life index (QOLI) for these patients were often be improved by treating their fistula. Conclusion: The appropriate treatment for anal fistula is dependent upon the anatomy and the location of the fistula tract. Detection of the inner mouth is the touchstone in the treatment of anal fistula. It could be determined location of inner mouth of the anal fistula easily with transparent anoscope guideline. VAAFT seems to be a safe and effective technique for treating perianal fistula without recurrence and anal incontinence.