Abstract
Purpose: We conducted a follow-up of anal fistula patients who had not undergone radical surgery to determine whether their condition had worsened over time.
Method: Subjects were 129 patients who had not undergone radical surgery selected from 320 anal fistula patients who had visited Ohmi Clinic 10 years or more previously. Except for 6 who continued to visit after their first visit, 123 were asked to answer questionnaires by mail or telephone, and to come in again for an anal examination.
Results: Questionnaires were answered by 35 subjects, of whom 9 had been operated on at other medical institutions. Of the remaining 26, 23 were almost symptom-free. All of the 13 who underwent anal examination turned out to be originally low fistula cases: one had advanced to a high intermuscular fistula, seven were stable, and five showed scars in the fistula tract.
Conclusion: Some anal fistulas had not advanced in the previous 10 years, with scars developing in some cases.
