title: Proposal: a score to select patients for fistulotomy.
abstract: Traditionally the distance between the inner opening and the anal verge is considered when making the decision to lay open an anal fistula or not. In contrast to this, the score presented here includes the distance to the upper border of the puborectalis muscle or to the external sphincter (anteriorly). In addition this score also takes various aspects of bowel function into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. rune.sjodahl@lio.se
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sjödahl
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D012003:Rectal Fistula / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery*; D012007:Rectum / Q000033:anatomy & histology