seton stitch for fistula

Hi,
This is my first time on this forum, but I have been reading some posts by other people who have had similar treatments to mine.. But now im a bit confused
I had an abcess which my GP did nothing about for several months, no antibiotics or anything! This eventually burst and so I got sent to A&E. They kept me in overnight to wait for an operation, but then decided to leave it and send me home with instructions to have hot baths.. So then this of course developed into a fistula. I had that for several months before I eventually got seen, and they decided to operate.
I now have a seton stitch, but they havn't really told me anything about it. I have been given a follow up appt for february, and I asked if I would need another operation and they said no. But reading a lot of the posts on here, everyone seems to have another operation at a later date. I think i just have a draining seton rather than a cutting one, but im not entirely sure.. Do draining ones need further operations or will it just be removed?
Also, It is a few weeks after my op now and the pain had completely gone in the last week or two. But today it has started hurting a lot for no apparent reason? Im not sure if this is normal or not, or if I should go to my gp? But tbh they were so useless last time im not even sure they will know what it is
Sorry for the essay! If anyone can help me out id be very grateful

Hey, thanks for the reply :)
so they didn't operate or anything? Just took them out and that was it?
glad to hear they are all healing well!! good luck for the future!

Hi Estrella

I had a seton for many years, a draining one.  On one the knot was so huge and painful (this is going back a few years) I had anaesthetic for another to be put in, and also another time when one broke but wouldn't say they were operations.  For me perhaps it happened the other way round, I had a huge operation where some bowel had to be taken away, a stoma and also the fistula laid open.  This was when the first seton was put in.  Perhaps because of having all that done, or whether I have been extremely lucky, I haven't needed any further surgery for this area.

I had varying levels of pain, sometimes none, to then like you, an increase with no understanding why.  This generally followed that I would have more drainage for a while and eventually the pain would go away.  I got used to what was "normal" and what needed attention but it takes time to know what your body is telling you.  As Ivy6 says do ring your doctor or hospital if in any doubt.

For me the good news is after having remicade my fistula (everything crossed) has healed and no more seton so there are success stories too.

Please take care, and hope you feel in less pain over Christmas and the New Year.

Debbie

I has a perianal abscess last July 2010, and had a seton placed. I also am so confused. It feels very tight, but it's suppose to be a loose seton. I had a little infection starting up there near the opening on the external area, but did a very hot sitz bath and it pulled out some puss, and took some antibiotics, and it's better but noticed a lump near the area. Still I feel like my seton has little frayed hairs and wonder if the tight feeling is something that should not be, and also wish the person who put it in could see it. I feel so a lone in all this and now pain in my buttocks off and on in an area not near the fistula. Is is hemorrhoids, or something else? The GI docs don't seem concerned. It does not feel like another abscess, but I just don't know what it is.

Do this setons feel tight when they are suppose to be loose? Do they fray? Does fecal matter move through the fistuala? if so, is this normal?

etc. etc. etc.

Mine doesn't feel tight. When I'm having a "bad" day it will be swollen down there, and drain more, and yes it does look like stool at times.

The hot baths are soooooo good for healing. Do them as often as you can.