title: Botulinum toxin A with fissurectomy is a viable alternative to lateral internal sphincterotomy for chronic anal fissure.
abstract: Lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) is the gold standard surgical treatment for anal fissure. However, it carries potential complications, including fecal incontinence. The goal of this retrospective study was to compare the outcome of botulinum toxin A injection coupled with fissurectomy ([BTX + FIS) versus LIS. There were 59 patients who underwent BTX + FIS or LIS over a 5-year period. LIS was performed in the standard fashion without fissurectomy. BTX + FIS entailed internal sphincter injection with 80 units of botulinum toxin A coupled with fissurectomy. Forty patients underwent LIS and 19 had BTX + FIS. The choice of operation was based on the patient's preference. Primary healing rate was 90 and 74 per cent in the LIS and BTX + FIS groups, respectively (P = 0.13). The complication rate was 10 per cent in the LIS vs 0 per cent in the BTX + FIS groups (P = 0.29). Complications of LIS included anal sepsis in one patient and flatal and/or fecal incontinence in three patients. During a mean follow up of 19 months; recurrence rate was 0 and 5 per cent in the LIS and BTX+FIS groups, respectively (P = 0.32). The results of this study demonstrate that BTX + FIS is a viable alternative to LIS for patients with chronic anal fissure and should be considered as an alternative first-line surgical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA.
authors.forename: Ohara
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aivaz
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rayhanabad
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Philip I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Haigh
authors.forename: Maher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005401:Fissure in Ano / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A