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Posted 6/23/2011 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all, I have a perianal fistula. I had a drain put in last month but they are going back in to do a ligation. Can anyone tell me what to expect? I saw on another forum that it really smells after surgery??? Appreciate any insight!
Posted 6/24/2011 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Yjane

Never had a fistula so I cant help much.
Just wanted to wish you luck and hopefully someone will give you a answer soon :)
Posted 7/4/2011 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi YJane
I also have a perianal fistula resulting from an abscess back in 2006. I've had 4 surgeries under GA in the last year: 2 setons, fistula plug (failed) and most recently the LIFT procedure...is that what you are having?

I just had mine June 22 and so now in recovery mode. Feels like all is going well so far. Days 4/5 were pretty rough with pain and blood/discharge from swollen areas but swelling has gone now and my surgeon wasn't worried by the discharge (I still have a little but it's slowly getting less). I am only taking panadol once or twice a day now and have been having at least 2 salt baths a day (shower and bath after every BM). Fingers and toes all crossed for successful healing.

Hope that helps if you are having the same thing.
Posted 7/5/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi! Thanks so much for the reply! I'm having a ligation done...ever heard it called a LIFT but since you've already had the plug done, it must be the same. The surgeon is going thru the internal and external sphincters so he doesn't have to cut them. What is panadol? How was/is it going to the bathroom? I pray that this surgery will finally work for you..thats a really long time to have to deal. Thanks again...It really helps!
Posted 7/5/2011 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
That's the same as what I have just had. LIFT = Ligation of Intersphincteric Fistula Track.

Panadol/Paracetemol 500mg is a low level painkiller here in NZ, I don't know what else it is known as. I was taking a mixture of Panadol and Codiene constantly for the first few days after surgery especially after the local anasthetic wore off but by day 7 I was only taking one or two doses a day.

I had about 6 stitches in the new opening they made but 2 have come out due to the amount of stuff that needed to drain out. I couldn't believe I was so comfortable after just a week as I remember having a lot longer period of pain and discomfort when my original abscess was laid open and left to heal (I have a good 3 centimeters of scarring from that)! There was no diagnosis of a fistula at that stage. Although I spend most of my time lying down I can sit quite comfortably now (2 weeks post op).

I didn't have my first BM until day 6 (think that is what contributed to my groggyness over the weekend)! It went better than I expected...I just stood up and pressed against my stitched area with paper while trying to go and I still do that as it seems to help. Urine did sting the open wound initially even tho I was drinking plenty of water.

I seem to be an unusual case...I'm 23, have no children, and don't have Crohns or UC.
Posted 7/6/2011 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
ASK11 have you had any tests run to rule out Crohns?? Sounds like that might be a good idea as fistula's are pretty common with Crohns disease.

Are you having any other symptoms? i.e. diarrhea, cramping??? I sure hope you get feeling better, and welcome to the forum. Hugs!
Posted 7/6/2011 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Nanners,
Thanks for your thoughts. I haven't had any tests for Crohns but also don't have any other symptoms and no family history of problems.
Posted 7/6/2011 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
I've had 3 perianal fistulas, I've never had a LIFT procedure but I did have fistulotomy and it's almost a year and they haven't come back but I'm also on a maintenance drug. If you have Crohn's you shoulf talk to your doctor about what medicine you'll take after.
Posted 7/8/2011 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for replying...I'm on Lialda and Imuran...I also just got back on Cimzia.
Posted 1/4/2012 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I just found this site and know that you posted last June, so it's been quite a while but I am going in for the LIFT surgery on Friday and haven't ever heard of anyone  else who has had it.  I am wondering what the recovery was like....

thanks!

Shellie F

UC for 24 years, Jpouch for 20 years,

Posted 1/4/2012 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Shellie,
My recovery from the LIFT procedure had its up and downs! There was quite a cavity formed during the operation and I had problems with gas and fluid collecting in pockets around it. The cavity just filled with granulation tissue rather than healing properly. I have had a couple of operations to clean out the cavity and finally it is healing properly after the insertion of another seton in the new smaller track! It must be closing well because I now have hardly any drainage through the track.

I am sorry I can't give you a more positive report and hope all goes well for you on Friday!! There was one good thing - for the majority of my recovery I had no pain. :-)

ASK11
Posted 1/4/2012 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
I am so glad to hear you didn't have a lot of pain! That's good as I felt like I did after the seton for a week or so....I'm sorry to hear that you had to have other operations after the LIFT though....I have had a seton for 2 years, and have so little drainage now, that my fear is that if I go in and try to fix this, I may create a situation that is worse than what I have. However, if I don't do anything, he says I would just have to keep the seton in, and I really want that gone.

I had UC and have had a J pouch for 20 years. Do you have Crohn's?
Shellie
Posted 1/5/2012 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
I am in the same situation now of considering whether to have further surgery or not. I'm not conscious of the seton most of the time but I am only 23 and don't really want it for the rest of my life if I can help it. However I have had 9 surgeries for this fistula in the last 18 months so am getting rather frustrated!!

If you have any sign of infection afterwards go back to your surgeon and make him take notice. My surgeon didn't give me any antibiotics after that surgery but I think things would have gone better for me if he had.

I don't have Crohns it just seems to be an isolated problem.

I hope you get on well.
ASK11
Posted 1/12/2012 10:45 AM (GMT 0)

Hi ASK11, wow i'm totally with you on the frustration part and i have only had the two operations so far for my fistula. I'm feeling rather sorry for myself as i 'm very soar and bruised from having my op just 2 days ago. i was hoping that my surgeon would remove my seton and lay open the rest of the track, but he decided that it was still going  through too much of the muscle to risk any chance of incon now or later on in my life. i;m 39years and have two little kids. like you i don't have crohns but i think my problems where brought on by having the kids. What i dread is the packing of the wound. this time he cleaned out a small cavity which ii guess formed after my 1st op back in Nov but the  the main part has healed well. Just feel like i want this nightmare over. I never thought that it would be such a long long process.  It's nice to hear others going through the same thing, dont feel like i;m alone. My next appointment is in 1month ( checkup)and then i reckon another 2 or 3 mths on from that, leave the seton in as much as i can bare it for as long as i can put up with it i guess to give it a chance to work down and through the muscle.    all the best.

Posted 1/12/2012 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi freindlyfeline,
Sorry you are having such a rough time! I know well what it is like to have bad bruising down there. Before I was diagnosed with a fistula my gynecologist used to drain my abscesses under local anesthetic in her clinic and I would end up so sore after! I used to freeze some water in a small container to press against the area to stop the throbbing!!!
It sounds like you have a cutting seton which I haven't had. I see my surgeon next Wednesday to see what the next step for me is. Maybe the flap surgery? I get frustrated at working my life around surgeries and recovery!!
This is a good place to find people who understand. I hope things get better for you.
Posted 1/13/2012 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
I am a new member and am so glad that this resource is here. I had a perianal abscess about 4 years ago and haven't really thought about getting any surgery until recently. I did have some success with a diet change that lead to very little drainage but never healed up and has since been draining a lot. I was naive and thought that I might be able to just get surgery and not have to worry about my fistula anymore but that is obviously not the case from my recent research. I can not believe that some of you have had surgery after surgery...I really feel for all of you. I want to live a life without taping a gauze pad to my fistula opening numerous times a day but I am feeling very discouraged.
I read a post that was from 7.27.2011 from - rumbutan that talked about getting both the plug and the flap at the same time. They stated that it had been 4 years at the time of the post and that it worked. Has anyone heard of anything like this? I am so interested in this process.
it sounds to me like the plug rarely woks. I would love to hear from anyone with suggestions. glad to get the info. thanks
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