Extrasphincteric perianal fistulae after sacrospinous fixation for apical prolapse.

BACKGROUND: Delayed extrasphincteric perianal fistulae may be encountered after sacrospinous vaginal vault suspension or hysteropexy with permanent sutures. CASES: We report two cases of extrasphincteric perianal fistulae: one after a sacrospinous vaginal vault suspension and one after a sacropsinous hysteropexy. Reproduction of the vaginal dissection performed to place the sacrospinous fixation sutures failed to expose the sutures, and the fistulae persisted. Perianal fistulotomy and fistulectomy, however, resulted in identification and excision of the sutures. CONCLUSION: Perianal fistulotomy or fistulectomy offers the most successful approach to identifying the inciting sutures.

Early experience with stapled hemorrhoidectomy in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: We report the early results of patients treated with stapled hemorrhoidectomy, which has recently been introduced into the United States. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids were treated at two institutions with the Proximate HCS Hemorrhoidal Circular Stapler supplied by Ethicon Endo-Surgery. Patients were prospectively evaluated for functional recovery and postoperative pain on a 1 to 10 scale. RESULTS: There were 45 (66 percent) males and 23 (34 percent) females with a mean age of 56 years and median duration of symptoms of 5 years. The mean operative time was 22.2 minutes. The operation was performed with spinal (50 percent), local (40 percent), or general (10 percent) anesthesia and as an outpatient (56 percent) or overnight admission (44 percent). Ninety-three percent of patients remained asymptomatic with a mean follow-up of 34 weeks, whereas the remaining 7 percent required either surgical excision or rubber band ligation for persistent symptoms. There was no mortality, new incontinence, fecal impaction, or persistent pain. The total morbidity was 19 percent, with urinary retention as the most common complication (12 percent). The mean pain score decreased from 3.6 on postoperative Day 1 to 1.4 at postoperative Day 7. Ninety-nine percent of patients made a complete functional recovery by postoperative Day 7. CONCLUSIONS: Stapled hemorrhoidectomy is safe, effective, and can be performed as an outpatient procedure with local or regional anesthesia. There seems to be minimal postoperative pain and early recovery, although a benefit over traditional hemorrhoidectomy needs to be proven in a randomized trial.