Fissure in Ano
A small tear in the lining of the anal canal, almost always caused by the passage of a hard stool. Once it becomes chronic, spasm of the internal sphincter perpetuates the pain and prevents healing.
Symptoms
A sharp, cutting or burning pain during and for hours after defaecation, bright-red streaks of blood on the stool or on toilet paper, and severe reluctance to open the bowels.
Recent advances in management
Most acute fissures heal on fibre, sitz baths and topical GTN or diltiazem. Chronic fissures are treated with laser sphincterotomy — a controlled, precisely-depth-limited laser cut that relieves spasm without risking incontinence, and lets the patient walk out the same day.
Operative & case images
Case images will appear here as they are added
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