title: The conservative treatment of fissure-in-ano.
abstract: A randomized clinical trial assessed the value of regular anal dilatation in combination with a topical local anaesthetic in the treatment of 82 patients with a posterior fissure-in-ano. One month after treatment the fissure had healed in 43.6 per cent of patients using 2 per cent lignocaine gel alone and in 41.9 per cent of patients who also used a St Mark's Hospital anal dilator. Thus the regular use of such a dilator did not contribute to the success of conservative therapy in patients with a posterior anal fissure. A review of patients who presented with anterior or lateral anal fissures during the trial period revealed that healing was achieved in 73.3 per cent of patients without operation within 1 month of diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004106:Dilatation; D005260:Female; D005401:Fissure in Ano / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine