Lay Open of Anal Fistula: You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed of urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of one hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Leaflet Details
| Title | Lay Open of Anal Fistula |
| Department | Day Surgery Unit |
| Author(s) | Claire Ellson-Credo, RN |
| Review Date | January 2022 |
| Next Review | January 2025 |
| Download | A5 Booklet PDF |
| Accessibility Options | Click on the Recite Me button to show our accessibility resources |
Patient Information
After your surgery
- You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed of urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of one hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Dressings
- You may have a wound pack (gauze soaked with antiseptic and inserted in the inside of the wound). You will also have a dressing over the wound consisting of gauze and mefix (sticky white dressing). This will stay in for a minimum of 24-48 hours. You will need to make an appointment with your practise nurse for change of dressings/pack the day after your operation, following this time your practise nurse will give you further dates of dressing change. This will continue until the wound has healed or as necessary.
- If you have non-dissolvable sutures, you need to make another appointment with your practice nurse for removal in 2 weeks’ time.
Pain
- It is common to have pain around the area following the surgery. Please take some pain relief regularly until this has settled.
Medications
- You may be prescribed antibiotics after the surgery if your doctor deems it necessary. It is important that you finish the course as instructed.
Hygiene
- It is important to keep the area clean and dry. The dressings are not waterproof; you will need to be careful not to get the dressings wet when going to the toilet. You may have a shower after a few days and prior to the change of dressings or as advised by your practice nurse.
Bleeding
- You may have noticed a small amount of bleeding on the dressings. This is normal and may last for a few days. If there is excessive bleeding, you should go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department.
Pain
- It is common to have pain around the area. Please take regular pain relief until this wears off.
- You may also find it is quite uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time. You are advised to relieve the pressure on your back passage until it is comfortable. It is not advisable to use a donut pillow as it delays the healing process.
Diet
- You can eat and drink as normal after surgery.
- It is important that you avoid getting constipated as this may cause pain when you are straining. You are advised to drink plenty of fluids and eat a balanced, high fibre diet to avoid this. You may be prescribed some laxatives by your surgeons. It is strongly advised that you take them as instructed.
Driving
- You are advised not to drive for at least 2 weeks and until you are comfortable enough to sit down normally and can perform an emergency stop safely. This may take up to a few weeks depending on how the wound is healing.
Activities
- You need to take it easy for a few days. You are advised to take short walks the day after surgery, slowly building up to your normal activities.
- You are advised to avoid any heavy lifting for 2-3 weeks to allow the wound to heal.
- Providing that your job does not involve physical exertion, you may return to work as soon as you feel able to do so. Most people feel able to work after 2 to 3 weeks or once the wound does not require regular dressing change.
Blood clot prevention
- It is important that you resume normal activities as advised and keep active. You must wear the anti-embolic stockings given to you for 7 days, both during the day and at night. They can be removed while you have a shower and applied back in afterwards.
- Depending on your medical risk factors, you may be prescribed blood-thinning injections to take after your operation. These help prevent blood clots such as in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or the lung (pulmonary embolus).
Follow up appointment
- You may be advised to attend an outpatient appointment; the details will be sent to you via post by your surgeon’s secretary.
- If you do not require any follow up outpatient appointment, you are advised to contact your GP for any further concerns.
What to watch out for:
Please attend your GP surgery if:
- The area feels inflamed, has an offensive discharge, becomes very painful and you develop a high temperature
- If the wound pack has come off and there is a significant wound area that is exposed
- You have not opened your bowels for longer than 4 days
Please attend the Accident and Emergency department if:
- You have excessive, uncontrolled bleeding and severe pain.
Useful contact numbers:
- Day Surgery Unit Ashford hospital 01784 884609 or 01784 884189 between 8am-9pm Monday to Friday
- Eliot ward 01784 884005 or 01784 884575 after 9pm weekdays, all day weekends and bank holidays
- ASPH Main Switchboard 01932 872000 and ask to be connected to your surgeon’s secretary for appointment queries
If you feel unwell and needed urgent medical care, please go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department immediately and bring your discharge letter with you.
