Long-term results of seton placement for fistula-in-ano in infants.
BACKGROUND
The present study aimed to assess the long-term results of seton placement for fistula-in-ano (FIA) in infants.


METHODS
Data of patients aged <1 year who presented to our department with perianal abscess (PA) between January 2006 and February 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Our standard initial treatment for PA was incision and drainage. Patients with systemic diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases were excluded.


RESULTS
Ninety-five patients were treated for PA and/or FIA during the 5-year period, and follow-up data were available for 90 patients. The mean follow-up duration in these patients was 49.8 ± 11.4 months, and mean age at presentation was 3.1 ± 2.7 months. Of the 90 patients, 36 (40%) developed FIA (39 lesions) and underwent seton placement. The condition healed in a mean period of 6.3 ± 4.0 weeks after the placement of a cutting seton. Healing of the fistula was achieved in 35 (97.2%) of 36 patients after the initial seton procedure, and one patient who showed recurrence underwent a second seton placement, resulting in successful healing of the FIA after 5 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
The long-term success of seton placement indicates that this procedure should be a treatment option for FIA in infants.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Mikiya
M
Inoue
Kiminobu
K
Sugito
Taro
T
Ikeda
Hiroyuki
H
Kawashima
Manabu
M
Hanada
Takeshi
T
Furuya
Kensuke
K
Ohashi
Tsugumichi
T
Koshinaga
D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004322:Drainage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012003:Rectal Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome