Anal Fistula Quiz

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Hemorrhoids

Itchy anus

Rectal pain

Hurts to poop

Skin around anus sore and red

Hard lump near anus under the skin

Painful bowel movements

Lump near anus

Rectal bleeding no pain

Yellow discharge from anus

Swelling near anus no pain

Swelling near anus with pain

Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!

What is Anal Fistula?

This condition involves a tunnel forming between the anus and the surrounding skin. Patients are at risk for recurrent infections, often connected to inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease.

Typical Symptoms of Anal Fistula

Diagnostic Questions for Anal Fistula

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:

  • Have you been diagnosed with Crohn's disease?
  • Do you have hemorrhoids or lumps around your anus?
  • Do you have anal itching?
  • Do you have pus around or in the anus?
  • Are you experiencing anal pain?

Treatment of Anal Fistula

Surgery is typically needed since they rarely heal independently. Treating the underlying cause, such as bowel inflammation, helps prevent fistulas from coming back.

Reviewed By:

Carlos Cuenca, MD

Carlos Cuenca, MD (General Surgery)

Dr. Cuenca graduated from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is currently a categorical surgical resident at UC Davis Health.

Aiko Yoshioka, MD

Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)

Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Content updated on Jul 10, 2024

Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy

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Anal Fistula?

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How Ubie Can Help You

With a free 3-min Anal Fistula quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.

This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:

  • Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.

  • Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.

  • History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.

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Symptoms Related to Anal Fistula

Diseases Related to Anal Fistula

FAQs

Q.

Is it a fistula? Why your tissue is tunneling and your medical next steps.

A.

There are several factors to consider: a persistent opening near the anus with drainage, recurrent swelling or pain, and a cycle of swelling then drainage often indicate an anal fistula, a tunnel that commonly forms after an abscess, but hemorrhoids, cysts, and other conditions can look similar; see the complete details below. Next steps typically include a colorectal exam and possibly MRI or endoanal ultrasound to map the tract, and because fistulas rarely heal on their own, treatments like fistulotomy or seton placement are common, with urgent care needed for fever, rapidly worsening pain, or fast-growing swelling.

References:

* Gribovskaja-Rupp I, et al. Enterocutaneous Fistula: Etiology, Pathophysiology, and Management. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2020 Jul;33(4):227-234. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1701231. Epub 2020 Apr 1. PMID: 32704253; PMCID: PMC7378417.

* Shabsigh A, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Enterocutaneous Fistulas. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2021 Jul;34(4):254-261. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1731671. Epub 2021 Jul 21. PMID: 34305417; PMCID: PMC8295982.

* Pothuri S, et al. Postoperative Enterocutaneous Fistulas: Principles of Management. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2021 Jul;34(4):262-269. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1725178. Epub 2021 Jul 21. PMID: 34305418; PMCID: PMC8295980.

* Al-Difaie A, et al. The Diagnosis and Management of Complex Perianal Fistula-in-Ano: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med. 2023 Feb 15;12(4):1588. doi: 10.3390/jcm12041588. PMID: 36836173; PMCID: PMC9960249.

* Barba M, et al. Vesicovaginal fistula: a review of the current evidence. J Wound Care. 2020 Jan 2;29(1):12-16. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2020.29.1.12. PMID: 31922441.

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Maxwell J. Nanes, DO

Emergency Medicine

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Caroline M. Doan, DO

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Signify Health

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Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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Dale Mueller, MD

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Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates

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Penn State Health

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Which is the best Symptom Checker?

Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.

Link to full study:

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1

References