Advanced Laser Surgery in Nigeria for Painful Fistula
Want to get relief from pain and discomfort caused by fistula?
Fistula can make your anal canal narrow and cause difficulty in bowel movement. You may be suffering from a lot of pain and thinking about the right treatment option. But finding the right doctor is always a challenge and you are not sure how this disease can be cured.
Thanks to the advancement in modern surgery. The solution for your complicated fistula problem is there.
Laser Fistula surgery has made fistula cure possible. By using laser surgery, it is now feasible to permanently cure your fistula by destroying the fistula duct without harming healthy tissue.
Let us know how James Robert from Nigeria permanently cured his fistula using laser surgery.
James Robert was an elderly gentleman living in Lagos, Nigeria. For many days, he was suffering from pain while passing stool, bleeding, and continuous irritation.
He consulted a general surgeon in the city who examined his anus and told him that he had a fistula and needed surgery to cure it.
James heard from his friend Thomas that a fistula recurs from time to time even after surgery and he did not get any benefit from fistula surgery ( fistulotomy).
James felt quite depressed to hear that. He was searching everywhere for some kind of relief. He had trouble sitting and could not sit for a long time on the chair.
One day, Thomas gave him a wonderful piece of information.
Reputed doctors from the MedicoExperts team in India were coming to Nigeria to treat fistula patients using advanced laser technology,
James was extremely happy to hear the news and contacted MedicoExperts immediately.
He booked his surgery and went to the medical camp.
He underwent an advanced laser fistula surgery in Nigeria and went back home on the same day.
Two years have passed and he did not have any recurrence. He is greatly thankful to Medicoexperts for his fistula surgery in Nigeria.
Let us know about fistula and various surgical options for its treatment including laser surgery.
What is a fistula?
Fistula is a connection between any two organs or vessels inside the body. For example, the main types of fistula can happen between the canal of the anus and the anal opening.
It can occur in various parts of the body such as the gastrointestinal tract, reproductive tract, and urinary tract.
What are the symptoms of anal fistula?
The symptoms of fistula can vary depending on the location and cause of the fistula. Common symptoms of fistula may include:
- Pain
- Discomfort
- Problem in bowel movement
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Ulcer
What are the causes of anal fistula?
Anal fistula is generally a connection between a blood vessel of the anus and the intestine. The causes of a fistula are the following:
- Infection in the anal gland
- Abscess formation – Collection of pus
- Drainage of pus
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
What is fistula surgery?
Fistula surgery is a surgical procedure that aims to repair or remove a fistula, which is an abnormal connection or passage that forms between two organs or tissues in the body.
Common types of fistula surgery include:
In fistulotomy, the surgeon cuts open the fistula and it heals slowly with time. This allows for drainage and closure of the fistula
In seton placement, a silicon thread is put inside the fistula duct to drain the fluid. A surgical dressing is done after the seton placement and multiple surgeries may be required to put the seton in the right place.
In endoscopic ablation of the fistula, – An electrode is inserted into the fistula through the endoscope which seals the fistula and there is no leakage from it. In this way, infection and inflammation are totally controlled.
In this technique, the ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) is done. The LIFT procedure involves closing the channel that joins the internal fistula opening to the external opening near the anus.
In this type of procedure, the fistula is scraped off and the hole is closed using tissue from the rectum. It has less success rate than fistulotomy, but sphincter muscles are not cut during the surgery.
A bioprosthetic plug is placed in the fistula tract and is sutured (stitch). This prevents any damage to the sphincter muscle and does not cause incontinence.
What are the Risks and complications of traditional fistula surgery?
Risks and complications of traditional fistula surgery are mentioned below
- Bleeding and infection
- Shortening of the anal canal
- Problem in bowel movement
- Incontinence in bowel movement (uncontrolled bowel movement)
- Chance of Recurrence of fistula
Advanced Laser Surgery for Fistula Treatment in Nigeria
Laser surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique for treating fistula. An emitting laser probe is inserted into the fistula, and the fistula duct is destroyed leaving the sphincter muscle intact.
Benefits of laser surgery for fistula treatment
There are several advantages of laser fistula surgery
There is no risk or complication for fistula laser surgery except very minor inflammation in the skin near the anus. It can be treated with painkillers in a single day.
What are the types of fistula?
1. Intersphincteric (45%)
The fistula passes through the internal sphincter but does not penetrate the external sphincter ( anal muscle).
2. Transphincteric (30%)
The fistula penetrates through both the external and internal sphincters.
3. Suprasphincteric (20%)
The fistula goes through the internal sphincter and above the external sphincter and extends to the perineum ( the skin between the anus and the genitals).
4. Extrasphincteric (5%)
It forms a tract from the rectum to the skin between the genitals and the anus.
How is fistula diagnosed?
The diagnosis of fistula will be done through proctoscopy or through MRI fistulogram. Even in complicated cases, an MRI fistulogram is an effective diagnostic tool.
What is the cost of laser fistula surgery in Nigeria?
The cost of fistula treatment can vary from patient to patient depending on the severity of the disease.
Laser Surgery for Fistula Treatment cost in Nigeria ranges from $3000 to $3200.
Procedures | Cost of Procedure | Implants & Consumables (At Actuals) | Total Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Laser Surgery for Fistula | USD 2500 – USD 2700 | Upto USD 500 | USD 3000 – USD 3200 |
Conclusion
Laser Fistula surgery is more effective than traditional surgery as the surgery and the healing time are less, there is less chance of recurrence and minimal pain post-surgery.
Medicoexperts is organizing a surgical camp in Nigeria and the best doctors from India are participating in the camp to cure your fistula-related problems.
MedicoExperts success ratio for fissure surgery in Nigeria
MedicoExperts have an excellent track record of 98.6% successful surgeries in Nigeria. 1.4% of people got some infection post surgeries which was also cured with medication.
MedicoExperts Surgical Centre near you
Frequently Asked Questions and patient concerns:
Q1. Can fistula be cured by medicine?
Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicines are the first lines of therapy. But very often fistula requires surgical intervention.
Q2. How urgent is fistula surgery?
Fistula surgery should be done as early as possible to prevent secondary infection or inflammation. In many cases, ulcers or sores in the intestinal wall cause fistulas to develop very fast.
Author Bio:
Dr. Khushbu Jain is a dedicated professional with a passion for advancing healthcare through cutting-edge treatments. She has a special interest in researching regenerative medicine and advanced treatment for diseases that are difficult to treat with conventional treatment options. Her deep understanding of these progressive treatments allows her to offer patients personalized and effective solutions for a variety of health concerns.
Content Medically Reviewed By MedicoExperts Editorial & Clinically Review Board