Anal Tear and/or Fissure and Anal Fistulas - Medtick

Anal Tear and/or Fissure and Anal Fistulas

What is it?

An anal fissure is a tear or open sore (ulcer) that develops in the lining of the anal canal.

  • In the short term, anal fissures usually involve only the epithelium.
  • In the long term, they involve the full thickness of the anal mucosa.
  • Anal fissures develop with equal frequency in both sexes; they tend to occur in younger and middle-aged persons.

Diagnosis Tests

  • Labatory tests are preformed if one has an underlying condition listed below or if anal fissures are irregular or if located off the midline, ordinary anal fissures are located on the anterior or posterior midline, no laboratory tests are necessary.
  • These can include:
    • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
    • Biopsy of fissure or lesions (as warranted)
    • Stool and viral cultures
    • HIV testing

Medscape


An anal fistula is a small tunnel that develops between the end of the bowel and the skin near the anus (where poo leaves the body). They’re usually the result of an infection near the anus causing a collection of pus (abscess) in the nearby tissue.

Anal fistulas are classified into four general types:

  • Intersphincteric: through the dentate line to the anal verge, tracking along the intersphincteric plane, ending in the perianal skin , they are the most common.
    • An intersphincteric fistula-in-ano is caused by a perianal abscess. In its most common course, it begins at the dentate line, then tracks to the space between the internal and external anal sphincters (the intersphincteric space) via the internal sphincter, and finally terminates in the perineum or perianal skin.
  • Transsphincteric: through the external sphincter into the ischiorectal fossa, encompassing a portion of the internal and external sphincter, ending in the skin overlying buttocks.
  • Suprasphincteric: through the anal crypt and encircling the entire sphincter, ending in the ischiorectal fossa.
  • Extrasphincteric: starting high in the anal canal, encompassing the entire sphincter and ending in the skin overlying the buttocks.
  • Other possible tracts include high tract to pelvis or lower rectum, high blind tract, or no perineal opening.

Medscape

Cause

Fissures

Fistulas

Treatments

  • Radiation exposure

Syndromes

Symptoms

Anal Fissure

  • Sharp pain when you pass stools, often followed by a deep burning pain that may last for a few minutes to last several hours afterwards?
  • Pain recurs with every bowel movement, and the patient commonly becomes afraid or unwilling to have a bowel movement, leading to a cycle of worsening constipation, harder stools, and more anal pain?
  • One find passing stools difficult (can be painful) and constipated?
  • Bleeding when you pass stools (bright red blood)?
  • Anal spasm?

Anal fistulas

  • Pain with defecation which is smelly?
  • Anal itching?
  • Recurrent abscesses (boils)?
  • Fever?
  • Peri-anal (tissue around anus) pain?
  • Throbbing  constant pain occurs with sitting, moving and/or coughing?
  • Pain occasionally clears after defecation?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:


General tips


This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Anal Tear and/or Fissure and Anal Fistulas in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

  • NHS

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  • Medscape

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  • Pharmaceutical Journal

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  • Medical News Today

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  • WebMD

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  • Cleveland Clinic

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  • Mayo Clinic

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  • Drugs.com

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  • National Organisation of Rare Diseases

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  • Verywell Health

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  • Fit for Travel

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  • DR Axe

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