Anal Fistula Surgery

Patients presenting to the outpatient clinic at Kasr Al-Ainy Hospitals with high anal fistula will be assessed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study purpose will be explained, and informed consent will be obtained from eligible participants. A detailed medical history and routine preoperative assessment will be conducted. Clinical evaluation will include identification of the internal and external openings, assessment of discharge, and continence status using the Jorge-Wexner incontinence score. MRI fistulogram will be performed preoperatively to evaluate the fistula tract and its relation to the sphincter complex. Patients will be randomly allocated into two equal groups (1:1 ratio) using a computer-generated sequence: Group A: Undergo LIFT procedure Group B: Undergo IFOC procedure Both procedures will be performed as per standard surgical techniques. Postoperatively, patients will start oral fluids after 2 hours and resume a normal diet as tolerated. Discharge is planned on the first postoperative day unless otherwise indicated. Follow-up will be conducted at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and monthly thereafter for at least 6 months to assess healing and detect complications, including recurrence.

Perianal fistulas are a chronic anorectal condition associated with significant morbidity, including pain, persistent discharge, infection, and impaired continence, all of which can substantially affect patients' quality of life. Surgical management aims to eradicate the fistulous tract while preserving anal sphincter function and continence. Despite numerous available surgical techniques, high-quality comparative evidence regarding optimal management remains limited. This prospective observational study aims to evaluate clinical outcomes, functional outcomes, and patient-reported quality of life following surgical treatment of perianal fistulas. The study will collect both clinician-reported and patient-reported outcomes over a 12-month follow-up period. Outcomes of interest include fistula healing, recurrence, postoperative complications, continence status, symptom burden, and health-related quality of life. The findings are expected to provide real-world data that may inform clinical decision-making and contribute to improved patient-centered care.

This study aims to evaluate if the amount of time a person experiences symptoms of an anal fistula before having surgery affects their surgical outcomes and recovery. An anal fistula is a chronic condition that typically requires surgery to heal properly. In routine clinical practice, many patients experience a significant delay before getting surgery due to a variety of reasons, such as under-reporting symptoms, misdiagnosis, or prolonged conservative treatments. Doctors want to understand if this delay in surgical intervention allows ongoing infection and scarring to complicate the surgery and worsen the patient's recovery. To investigate this, researchers will observe 90 adult patients who are undergoing definitive surgery for a primary anal fistula. The participants will be divided into three groups based on how long they had symptoms before their operation: 3 months or less Between 3 and 6 months More than 6 months The main goal of the study is to compare these groups to see how many patients achieve complete clinical healing and how many experience a recurrence (the fistula returning) within 12 months after the surgery. Additionally, the study will track secondary outcomes, including how long it takes the wound to heal completely, any postoperative complications, changes in bowel control (fecal incontinence), pain resolution, and the patient's overall postoperative quality of life. The findings will help inform both doctors and patients on the optimal timing for anal fistula surgery.

The objective of this observational study is to analyze the factors influencing wound healing after anal fistula surgery and to assess the effectiveness of interventions in improving overall patient outcomes post-surgery. The primary questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does the use of the growth factor (New Epi) contribute to accelerating wound healing, reducing the risk of infection, and enhancing patient recovery speed after surgery? 2. Do other factors, such as infection, nutritional status, diabetes, surgical methods, patient age and overall health, immune status, and lifestyle habits, affect the healing of surgical wounds?