fistulotomy surgery questions

I didn't have fistulotomy but I had an abscess drained that left an open wound and I had to use to packing gauze. It was very very VERY painful when the removed it the first time. It would be safe to say that it was the worst pain I've ever experienced. My suggestion would be that before anyone touches the gauze to take some pain medication first. I don't know if it will be the same or not but I would still try to take pain meds before hand. Good luck!

What exactly is a fistulotomy? I had a surgery on my perianal fistula but it was unplanned and I don't know if that is what I had. The surgeon thought it was a cyst that had abcessed. Anyway, I had a lovely gaping wound afterwards that I had to pack. The surgeon told me he cut along the fistula tunnel so it could heal from the inside out. The actual wound packing and all that was not painful at all. It was maybe a bit uncomfortable but thats it. I had to visit a wound care doctor for months to help my surgical wound heal (because the surgeon didn't know it was a fistula - I think he messed it up) and that was painful.

I am happy for you that your surgery is planned! The surgery did heal the fistula and I haven't had a recurrence since and its been two years! Good Luck!

from my understanding the surgery is where they core out the muscle/skin that's inbetween the fistula and the butt hole, so yeah you will have a gaping hole that needs to be packed.  I'm really nervous.  i've had two seton surgeries and the flap surgery and this one sound's so much worse than those two.  i figured the packing and repacking would be the worse since you are pushing down on the wound.  Actually i was wondering, how do you poop, do you have to take out the gauze and then repack it after every bowel movement???  the doc said first week will suck, second so-so and 3rd week i should be relatively back to normal, does this sound about right??? 

well i had a procedure done back in sept. but im not exactly sure what it was called. it was for an anal fistula but after reading the other responses it sounds nothing like what others had done. my dr. didnt want to cut me open for fear that i wouldnt heal very fast he ended up putting  stitches in so it could drain by itself. i have been going back to the doctor about once every 2 weeks to have the stitches tightened little by little. it sounds like its about healed all the way through. but the surgery itself was very short and i came home the same day. i do remember that sitting was very uncomfortable.... i did a lot of laying around for a couple days (and on my bad days that doesnt change) my biggest complaint about this was that like i said this was back in sept and now its almost dec. and i still have metal staples and the stitches hangin around down there which makes its difficult to use the restroom ( and i dont need anything else making it more difficult) also i still have drainage which as you can probably imagine is not a pleasant thing. i do believe the dr. gave me some pain meds for the first couple of days i was home. i cant recall what it was but i didnt need them for long. anyways this might help? Good Luck!

I had this surgery (fistulotomy) a few years back. Basically I had a gapping hole down there, they laid open the fistula track, and let it heal from the inside out. I was in moderate pain for probably 3-4 days. Going to the bathroom hurt the worst, obviously. I also took stool softeners, but would find myself crying when going to the bathroom! After that I was good, driving, and moving around without pain. I had to soak it several times a day, which wasn't fun.

The only bad thing for me, was that it took a WHOLE year to heal up. Which I've read is common in Crohn's patients.

Hi to all who is suffering from a fistula in ano' I was terrified to have this operation ? After reading awful stories of people in pain after the operation. I am 5 days post op and I haven't experienced any of the pain I have been reading about. I no everyone is different and we are all different with pain. The second day after my operation I had a Bm and was waiting for this awful pain ? It didn't happen' I use baby wipes only and take pain medication' even when I passed wind I was ok. It's sore but not really painful I don't sit down because of the pressure it's best to lye down. And rest' I have district nurse out each day to pack the wound and it's not really painful at all when they arrive I fill a bidda up with warm warm and sit on it for a couple of minutes then let them change the dressing so I feel clean. So to anyone who is suffering this please don't be frightened like I was. Go and get it over with. I have tried all the so called miracle cures ghee milk honey etc it doesn't work just over 2 years I have had mine and it's ok and you will get better over time. I had my operation in aintree hospital liverpool by CS who was fantastic and I explained about the stories I had been reading and he said he can't believe the things on the internet. I just wanted this over and done with so I can get part of my life back' I was sick of getting antbiotics ever other week ? So each day I no it's getting sorted. {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252
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