# Risks of fistula surgery



## dad_01 (May 19, 2008)

My 11 year old son has an abscess, and maybe fistulas.

We're being advised that surgery is needed if he has the fistulas.

But, a resident gave us the warnings - this type of surgery can conceivably cause incontinence and damage to the sphincter muscle (though he didn't think it was likely in this case).

Just wondering what people think about fistula surgery and sphincter muscle damage risk and incontinence risk.


Thanks.


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## My Butt Hurts (May 19, 2008)

I had fistula surgery, and they did have to cut right through the sphincter muscle.  It was a terribly painful recovery, I hope your son does not have to go through it.  To read my whole experience with the surgery, you can click on my name, then click 'find more posts by My Butt Hurts', and look for the one titled "I had fistula surgery".  There is a risk of incontinence.  How small that is, I don't know - but sometimes there is no other alternative.  I don't have any incontinence.

To answer your other question that you recently posted, I have heard that any of the imunnosuppresants are supposed to be helpful for fistulas.  That sounds backwards though, since my fistula started as an infection, and infections can get worse on imunnosuppresants.  My fistula either came back after surgery, or a new one started in the same area.  Since starting Humira in February, I haven't had any problems with it.

I wish you such good luck with your son and his treatments.


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## dad_01 (May 19, 2008)

My Butt Hurts said:
			
		

> I had fistula surgery, and they did have to cut right through the sphincter muscle.  It was a terribly painful recovery, I hope your son does not have to go through it.  To read my whole experience with the surgery, you can click on my name, then click 'find more posts by My Butt Hurts', and look for the one titled "I had fistula surgery".  There is a risk of incontinence.  How small that is, I don't know - but sometimes there is no other alternative.  I don't have any incontinence.
> 
> To answer your other question that you recently posted, I have heard that any of the imunnosuppresants are supposed to be helpful for fistulas.  That sounds backwards though, since my fistula started as an infection, and infections can get worse on imunnosuppresants.  My fistula either came back after surgery, or a new one started in the same area.  Since starting Humira in February, I haven't had any problems with it.
> 
> I wish you such good luck with your son and his treatments.


We spoke with the surgeon today and she thinks, based on an MRI and an exam today, the abscess is small and not near the sphincter.

He's having an exam under anesthesia tomorrow morning and, if the find fistulas, will install some sort of drainage device called a seton.


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## vickyoddsocks (Jun 15, 2008)

I went throught the same when i was 17, i did have setons (3 of em), I've had a total of 10 operations on my 'bum' and i havnt got any incontinent problems, so should be ok. Plus his body is probably at the best age to repair quickly and properly even if they do have to cut throught the muscle. 
Hope it all goes well. Any other questions feel free to ask me!


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## saidinstouch (Jun 16, 2008)

I had a surgery to get an abscess drained and the recovery is quite painful, but manageable.  Through use of vicodin (granted it isn't the best choice for a younger kid but in this case necessary) and hot baths 2-3 times a day and every time I had a bowel movement (since the opening is on the ouside for me) the pain was kept to the time immediately following a bowel movement.  Use of a stool softener (if he gets constipated from either his crohns or the vicodin would also help a TON) to make sure that everything flows through quickly and easily.  Other than that I can try to remember any other tricks I picked up like an inflattable donut to sit on.

As far as the immunosuppressants helping with abscess and fistula I believe it is because they reduce the inflammation allowing the bodies natural healing responses to properly close the opening.  They are bacteria filled, but it isn't necessarily as infectious as bacteria that cause disease so proper cleanliness (baths and drainage) keep the abscess/fistula clean enough that the body can just heal without the constant inflammatory response.


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