I have perianal Crohn’s disease and developed an abscess in August of this last year. When the abscess drained I was left with a superficial fistula. My doctor performed a fistulotomy to “lay it open.” He told me because my Crohn’s disease is located in the anus that it would take a “long time” for my fistulotomy wound to heal. Immediately after the surgery surprisingly I had no pain. I thought I was in the clear. Boy was I wrong. It’s been almost 3 months since my surgery and I have this open wound that will not heal. It is not infected but it is very inflamed and hurts when I have a bowel movement. My colorectal surgeon told me to keep is as dry as possible with blow drying and cotton pads to promote healing. This is very difficult because the mucus drainage is constant. After bowel movements it’s worse. I use a bidet, sitz baths, toilet paper, hair dryer, and cotton pads to keep the area clean and as dry as possible. The amount of cotton pads I use down there has significantly increased in the last 2 months because of drainage. I’ve tried metronidazole cream with no help. I’ve been recommended silvadene, colloidal silver cream, even Manuka honey to put down there but have yet to try. Anyone have any luck with any creams or treatment that lead to healing for a wound like this?
Fistulotomy Won’t Heal - Advice?
- Thread starter bac715
- Start date
Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2020
- Messages
- 129
I can sympathise because I use a portable bidet after bowel movements and moist toilet wipes also. Talc, ointments and sanitary pads. Toilet paper can irritate so I would just dab, not wipe. Wiping from back to front causes urinary tract infections due to bacteria in the faeces. I would go back to see your surgeon and ask for a second opinion. I had mine stitched and have a scar in my bum. Nice ...
Hey there,
I had two fistula surgeries (ten years apart, the first was a fibrin glue plug) and followed this protocol and both times at the one week follow up the surgeons exclaimed that it was healing much faster than expected:
- Get a tube of Povidone iodine marketed as "Betadyne". This is an amazingly good antibacterial, it penetrates the skin, and has no known side effects. [1], [2].
- Get a set of disposable surgical gloves from your local pharmacy. Wear a glove. Take a blob of the Betadyne on a finger and irrigate the external wound. Take a second blob of the Betadynea and smear it into the rectum and anal canal, try to reach the erstwhile internal opening of the fistula. (Use some TP to wipe up everything outside the wound this stuff will stain your clothes, I had some TP in my shorts too for good measure)
- Repeat this betadyne routine twice a day, once before sleeping, and once in the morning after your shower.
- Important: After taking a poo, at all times follow up with a shower (make sure you have a hand held shower), and the Betadyne routine. 2. Also, try not to sit. At all. After my surgery I just didnt sit down on my arse for two or three weeks till the thing healed completely. Its possible!
Hope this helps.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12011534/
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919117305368
I had two fistula surgeries (ten years apart, the first was a fibrin glue plug) and followed this protocol and both times at the one week follow up the surgeons exclaimed that it was healing much faster than expected:
- Get a tube of Povidone iodine marketed as "Betadyne". This is an amazingly good antibacterial, it penetrates the skin, and has no known side effects. [1], [2].
- Get a set of disposable surgical gloves from your local pharmacy. Wear a glove. Take a blob of the Betadyne on a finger and irrigate the external wound. Take a second blob of the Betadynea and smear it into the rectum and anal canal, try to reach the erstwhile internal opening of the fistula. (Use some TP to wipe up everything outside the wound this stuff will stain your clothes, I had some TP in my shorts too for good measure)
- Repeat this betadyne routine twice a day, once before sleeping, and once in the morning after your shower.
- Important: After taking a poo, at all times follow up with a shower (make sure you have a hand held shower), and the Betadyne routine. 2. Also, try not to sit. At all. After my surgery I just didnt sit down on my arse for two or three weeks till the thing healed completely. Its possible!
Hope this helps.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12011534/
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919117305368
Last edited:
I hope your wound has healed.
I also still have an open wound after three or four months.
It leaks most days.
Very frustrating.
Tried honey and coconut oil so far without luck.
Thinking of aloe vera.
It 90 per cent closes up and then opens again after a random or sudden movement mostly at work.
I also still have an open wound after three or four months.
It leaks most days.
Very frustrating.
Tried honey and coconut oil so far without luck.
Thinking of aloe vera.
It 90 per cent closes up and then opens again after a random or sudden movement mostly at work.
Hi! It’s been a while since I’ve been on here but in August 2021 I finally bit the bullet and started a biologic, Avsola. After a year and half avoiding it, and 9 months with an open wound that wouldn’t heal, I was in such neverending pain from my wound I was afraid to eat and absolutely terrified to go to the bathroom. The pain got so bad I would sleep as much as I could. Not ideal for the middle of the summer! Within 24 hours of my first infusion I found relief! Within a week the wound had healed tremendously. By my second infusion, 2 months later, it was almost entirely healed. I am BEYOND thankful this treatment worked for me. I had tried most every topical treatment you could think of as well as changing my diet. It’s been almost a year and so far I’ve had no issues. The skin down there is definitely sensitive and sometimes I get tears but it sure beats what I was dealing with. I hope you find relief!
My large open wound has healed so it doesn’t leak anymore. I occasionally get microtears which are more just annoying if they get wet in the shower but no leaking. I usually put a small cotton pad down there or diaper rash cream to keep moisture away so it won’t irritate the skin more
I had a LIS and hemorrhoidectomy in June that got infected and had to get a fistulotomy in August to correct the infection. I'm still dealing with the drainage from the August surgery. I go in tomorrow for another follow-up and the Dr is going to try something else. It just scares me that she will make it worse. Like many of you, I have been using gauze to catch the drainage. I am not still using maxi pads or additional gauze, but it hasn't changed in 2 months. It's depressing when I think of all that i have had to miss out on with the family in fear of infection or worsening conditions. Has anyone with similar conditions ever heal fully? Thank you
Hi Dan. Mine is still leaking 9 months on.
Small little hole on actual wound now .
Another fistula apparently.
Going to surgeon tomorrow for MRI and operation in a couple of months.
Mine drains daily and I have to wear pad a gauze.
I'm actually quite use to it now.
It seems ridiculous.
I change gauze 3 or 4 times a day and have 2 sitz baths a day.
In pain maybe 2 of 7 days a week.
Other 5 days it's basically fine.
Very yuck.
Good luck.
