Retrospective comparative analysis of patients operated on for rectal fistula

Abstract

RETROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS OPERATED ON FOR RECTAL FISTULA

Aim. To compare patients and methods of surgical treatment of rectal fistula between the years 2001-2002 and 2008-2009.

Material and methods. One hundred and seventy-eight patients (110 men and 68 women) were operated due to rectal abscesses and fistulas at the Proctology Unit in years 2001-2002, and 602 patients (355 men and 247 women) underwent fistula surgery in 2008-2009. Half the number of patients was between the age of 31 and 50 years. Different types of rectal fistulas and methods of surgical treatment performed in these two periods were evaluated.

Results. An increase in the number of operated patients and the methods of surgical treatment was fund. In the first evaluation period, patients were most frequently subject to operation because of trans-sphincter (39.3%) and extra-sphincter (24.2%) fistulas. The surgical procedure most often involved simple fistula excision (80.9%), set on drainage (16.8%) and sliding flap repair (92.3%).
In 2008-2009 the most frequent cause of operation was still trans-sphincter (55.6%) and extra-sphincter (20.8%) fistula. The number of treatment methods increased from three in the first period to eight in the second one. The most frequently used surgical techniques were fistula excision (50.0%) and set on drainage (30.2%). Moreover, there were more patients (3.8%) operated on with sliding flap repair method.

Conclusions. 1. During the 10-year evaluation, a three-fold increase in the number of patients operated on rectal fistula occurred. 2. Patients in the fourth and fifth decade of life constituted the most numerous group. 3. Almost a 2-fold increase in the number of operated men was observed. 4. A considerable rise in the types of performed rectal fistula surgeries was found in the examined period.