Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy

This webpage will give you information about a lateral internal sphincterotomy. If you have any questions, you should ask your GP or other relevant health professional.

What is an anal fissure?

An anal fissure is a tear in the skin around the back passage (see figure 1). It is a common problem that causes severe pain, especially after a bowel movement. It may also cause bleeding.

The condition is associated with spasm of the internal anal sphincter. This reduces the blood supply to the area and prevents healing. The treatment is aimed at breaking this cycle to allow healing to take place.

Diagram showing the position of an anal fissure

Figure 1: Position of an anal fissure

What are the benefits of surgery?

Surgery is effective at treating anal fissure but is usually recommended to people who fail to get better with non-surgical treatments.

Are there any alternatives to surgery?

There are simple treatments which may help such as laxatives, ointments, injections of botulinum toxin, eating more fibre and drinking more fluid.

What does the operation involve?

Sphincterotomy simply means dividing the sphincter. It is usually performed under a general anaesthetic and usually takes about a quater of an hour.

Your surgeon will make a small cut in the skin near your back passage. They will then cut the lower part of the internal sphincter muscle. This will relieve the spasm in the sphincter, allowing a better blood supply to heal the fissure.

What complications can happen?

1 General complications

Pain
Bleeding
Infection in the surgical site (wound)

2 Specific complications

Involuntarily passing wind or loose faeces
Difficulty passing urine
Permanent incontinence from the bowel

How soon will I recover?

You should be able to go home the same day.

The pain from the fissure should improve rapidly. It is usually possible to return to work after a few days depending on your type of work.

Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities as soon as possible. Before you start exercising, you should ask a member of the healthcare team or your GP for advice.

Most people make a full recovery and can return to normal activities.

Occasionally the fissure comes back.

Summary

Anal fissure is a common condition that causes a lot of pain. At first, it may be treated with ointments or botulinum toxin. If this fails, surgery is the best option for a cure.

Acknowledgements

Author: Mr Jonathan Lund DM FRCS (Gen. Surg.) and Mr Ayan Banerjea FRCS (Gen. Surg.)

This document is intended for information purposes only and should not replace advice that your relevant health professional would give you.

The operation and treatment information on this website is produced by EIDO Healthcare Ltd and is licensed by Ramsay Health Care UK. The intellectual property rights to the information belong exclusively to EIDO Healthcare Limited.

You may not copy, print out, download or otherwise reproduce any of the information other than for your personal, non-commercial use.

The information should not replace advice that your relevant health professional would give you.