My father, aged 58 years, is suffering from Anal Fistula from last 10 months. He consulted some doctors  who advised him for warm water wash, pain killers and other medicine. But now situation has grown bit serious. Many suggested for surgery or laser surgery. But we found that surgey is not a permanent solution for Fistula. Laser surgery is the thing which we dont know much. Please advise.
Hi & Welcome. I appreciate your concern for your beloved fathers' problem. Since your father did not respond to Sat baths (warm water wash) and other medicines, so he needs a surgical procedure under general anesthesia to remove the fistula. Since fistulas are known to recur if not excised properly a histogram (dye injected from the external opening to the inner opening to locate the tract should be done first. Then a fistulotomy the most commonly used type surgery is done under the general anesthesia. It involves cutting open the entire length of the fistula, from the internal opening to the external opening. The surgeon will flush out the contents and flatten it out. After one to two months, the fistula will heal into a flat scar. Regarding laser therapy, its efficacy in preventing the recurrence is not proven hence it is not done frequently. Hope this answers your query.