Clinical study of fistula in ano in patients attending surgical OPDs of a tertiary care teaching hospital, Central India

Abstract

Background: A fistula-in-ano is an abnormal hollow tract or cavity that is lined with granulation tissue and that connects a primary opening inside the anal canal to a secondary opening in the perianal skin; secondary tracts may be multiple and can extend from the same primary opening.Methods: All cases of clinically diagnosed fistulae-in-ano admitted in various surgical units in Index Medical College Hospital, Indore during the study period January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. A Preformed set of questionnaires will be prepared and tested and the same proforma will be used for the study of selected clinically diagnosed cases of Fistula-in-ano. Clinical history was obtained in all the patients. Clinical examination including per rectal and proctoscopic was done in required patients.Results: Total 44 cases of fistula in ano were selected randomly using closed envelope method and studied in detail the following results were obtained. In this present series, 56.81% of patients were in the age group of 31-60 years followed by 34.09% of patients were in the age group of 11-30 years. Only 9.09% of patients were in the age group above 60 years. About major clinical features were noted perianal discharge, pain, swelling and peri anal irritation were 75%, 65.91%, 43.18% and 11.36% respectively.Conclusions: Early diagnosis and appropriate management is the key to success. Fistula-in-ano forms a good majority of treatable benign lesions of rectum and anal canal. 90%or so of these cases are end results of cryptoglandular infections.