Video-assisted anal fistula treatment for complex anal fistula: a long-term follow-up study.

AIM: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of video-assisted anal fistula treatment (VAAFT) in complex fistula-in-ano (FIA). METHOD: Consecutive patients presenting with complex FIA were recruited between November 2012 and November 2018. The primary outcome was healing of the fistula. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients were included, 39 (54%) of whom were men, with a mean age of 46 (±11) years. The mean follow-up was 32 (±18) months. Complete healing was achieved in 64 (89%) patients. When persistent and recurrent cases were considered together, the failure rate was 21% and the success rate 79%. When patients failed, they were offered VAAFT again, after which there was an in increase in the healing rate, which overall (primary and secondary) was 86%. There was no statistically significant deterioration in continence. Eight (11%) patients experienced postoperative complications which required no additional surgical intervention. CONCLUSION: VAAFT represents a promising, sphincter-saving technique for the treatment of complex FIA. It has proved efficacious, with 79% of patients achieving complete healing after its primary application. After a second use, this reached 86%. The main advantage of VAAFT compared with other sphincter-saving techniques is working under direct vision. VAAFT has a good safety profile with 11% of patients experiencing minor complications, and there is no effect on continence.

Stapled transanal rectal resection for the treatment of rectocele associated with obstructed defecation syndrome: a large series of 262 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate functional results and recurrence rate after stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) for rectocele associated with obstructive defection syndrome (ODS). METHODS: A study was conducted on patients with ODS symptoms associated with symptomatic rectocele ≥ 3 cm on dynamic defecography who had STARR at our institution between 01/2007 and 12/2015. Data were prospectively collected and analyzed. ODS was evaluated using the Wexner constipation score. Primary outcomes were functional results, determined by the improvement in 6-month postoperative Wexner constipation score, and 1-year recurrence. Secondary outcomes were operative time, time to return to work, pain intensity measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), patient satisfaction, and overall postoperative morbidity and mortality at 30 days. RESULTS: Two-hundred-sixty-two consecutive female patients [median age 54 years (range 20-78)] were enrolled in the study. The median duration of follow-up was 79 months (range 30-138). Sixty (23%) patients experienced postoperative complications, but only 9 patients required reinterventions for surgical hemostasis (n = 7), fecal diversion for anastomotic leakage (n = 1), and recto-vaginal fistula repair (n = 1). Only 1 intraoperative complication (stapler misfire) was reported, and there were no deaths. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) reduction in the median (range) Wexner constipation score from 19 (14-24) preoperatively to 9 (5-15) 6 months postoperatively. Only 10 (4%) patients experienced recurrence and only 3 of them required additional reintervention. Patient satisfaction at 1 year was excellent in 86%, good in 13%, and poor in 1% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: STARR is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive technique for the treatment of rectocele associated with ODS.