Content area
Full Text
Fistula in ano is a challenging chronic disease that is difficult to manage successfully. Recurrence and incontinence are the main challenging problems after surgical treatment of anal fistulas. Complex fistulas are rare clinical entities and many treatment options such as seton insertion technique, endorectal mucosal advancement flap closure, curettage, and fibrin glue injection have been tried for years. However, each method has some morbidity, recurrence and incontinence rates, and there is not any method considered as the gold standard. Rojanasakul used the ''Ligation of Intersphincteric Fistula Tract'' (LIFT) procedure in 18 patients and published his results in 2007 reporting a success rate of 94.4 per cent.1 The aim of our study was to analyze the early midterm results of 12 patients who were operated on using this surgical method.
Data were collected from the recordings of 12 patients who were operated on for complex fistula in ano by using the LIFT method in Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of General Surgery, between November 2010 and April 2012. All patients were contacted by telephone and called for clinical check. They were re-evaluated by means of continence status, presence of recurrence, and morbidity according to their anamnesis and physical examination.
Patients with complex fistulas were included in the study. However, patients with Crohn's disease and a history of pelvic radiation were excluded. Complete epithelization of the wound was accepted as ''complete recovery.'' Persisting drainage from the external orifice was accepted as ''failure'' and recurrent drainage after complete epithelization was accepted as ''recurrent disease.''
All patients were admitted at the day of the surgery without using any bowel preparation. The LIFT procedure...