Sunday, July 21, 2013

Anal Fistula and Its Treatments


Anal fistula, also known as fistula-in-ano, is a condition wherein a tunnel-like track is developed in the perennial region with one or multiple external openings near the anus area which leads to internal opening in the mucosa of the rectum or the anal canal.

Allopathy, homeopathy and even Ayurveda have different treatment options for this condition. In Ayurveda, anal fistula is termed as 'Bhagandara' and is classified on the basis of the site and shape of the fistula track. The complex ischio-rectal fistula also known as the horse-shoe fistula has been referred to and dealt in detail in the classical Ayurveda text - Sushruta tracing back in 300 A.D. Ayurveda suggested the Ksharsutra treatment and with a little modification, it is still relevant even today, according to Ayurvedic medical services.

The rare condition of chronically inflamed abnormal tunnel results from an infection in the tissue lining of the anal canal. The track between the outer skin of anus and the anal canal sometimes drains watery pus which can irritate the outer tissues and can cause itching and discomfort. The infection is caused to due to bacterial spread in the rectum. It may also occur due to cancer of the large intestine, tuberclosis, healed sore in the rectal area, diverticulitis, gonorrhea, ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease.

The symptoms of anal fistula may include itching, discomfort and pain, recurrent abscess, blood or pus discharge or irritation of tissue around the anus or burning sensation in the perennial region. The symptoms subside when the abscess or boil bursts spontaneously causing discharge. These boils heal for a short period but recur after a while. There is no definite cause for it but sometimes the fissure in ano gets affected and infection travels down to form a track or fistula and sometimes there is a previous history of ano-rectal abscess.

Anal fistula can be treated but they do not heal spontaneously. Fiber tissues develop on the inner walls of the fistula and the payogenic membrane doe not allow spontaneous healing. The common method of treatment is the removal of the payogenic membrane and the fibrous tissue which can take many sittings and sometimes, a silk setone is passes through parts of the track. The other methods may be sealing with fibrin glue, applying a skin graft, coring out fistulous track, laser surgery or fistulectomy or excision of fistulous track and suturing the wounds.

One can also take help of online medical products for the treatment of anal fistula.

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