Anal Fistula
This often presents first as an abscess, but is actually a small tunnel that runs from within the anus to an opening in the skin around the anus. This occurs when glands within the anus become clogged and infected. Symptoms include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bleeding
- Fever
- Bloody or purulent drainage
- Irritation of the skin around the anus
- Recurrent anal abscess
Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask about your medical history and perform a physical exam. CT scan, MRI or colonoscopy exam in the OR might be necessary to achieve an accurate diagnosis.
Treatment
Treatment can vary from a simple outpatient surgery to a series of planned procedures to heal a fistula. Procedures may include removal of the track of the fistula. Depending on the location and severity of the fistula, your doctor may need to drain the
fluid prior to the curative surgery.
Choosing the Right Surgeon
At the Palm Beach Digital Surgery Institute, we’re committed to empowering our patients, sharing options and information so you can make the decision that’s right for you and your family.
Dr. Eduardo Parra-Davila MD, FACS, FASCRS and his team begin by focusing on not just the patient, but their entire family: the support system and people committed to restoring the patient to a better quality of life.
Prior to joining Palm Beach Health Network Physician Group, Dr. Parra served as the Director of Minimally Invasive and Colorectal Surgery and the Director of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction at Florida Hospital Celebration Health in Orlando, FL.
Previously, he also served as the Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at a Hospital in Boca Raton and as the Chief of General Surgery at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Miami. Dr. Parra-Davila has worked as a clinical assistant professor
of surgery at the University of Central Florida, Florida State University and University of Miami.
Dr. Parra performs his surgeries at Good Samaritan Medical Center, located in West Palm Beach. “One of the reasons I came to Good Sam was for the robotic program,” explains Dr. Parra. “It’s a small community hospital with maybe one of the best technologies there is in surgery, and I like that combination.”