Anal fissure: causes and treatment
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Causes of anal fissure
Chronic anal fissure is caused by constipation, associated with increased pressure of the internal sphincter, one of the muscles that embrace the anus-rectus and which is responsible for continence. In most cases, the anal fissure, in its acute manifestation, closes alone or is aided by measures such as anti-inflammatories, dietary fiber and laxatives.
When the fissure becomes chronic, the main symptom is acute and intense pain during and / or after defecation.
Treatment of anal fissure
An anal fissure should always be treated by a specialist in Coloproctology using specific ointments that decrease the tone of the internal anal sphincter, promoting healing of the fissure. The effect of these ointments is positive although they can cause side effects such as headache.
When conservative treatment fails, the gold standard of the treatment of chronic anal fissure is internal lateral sphincterotomy consisting of performing a cut in the internal sphincter. This procedure must be carried out by a specialist in General Surgery because if it is not well performed it can lead to complications such as recurrence or, even more serious, fecal incontinence.
Follow-up after intervention
It is a fast, safe and very effective intervention.. Usually patients should not have any special care in the postoperative period since it is very well tolerated and only requires the usual hygiene and some analgesic during the first days.
Can an anal fissure lead to a bigger problem?
Chronic anal fissure can not involve any other problem greater than the same pain it causes, but there are anal fissures of atypical location, secondary to other potentially serious pathological processes, which should be discarded with a good physical examination.
