Anal Fissure and Fistula

What is an Anal Fissure and Anal Fistula?

An anal fissure refers to a tear or cut in the lining of the anus. This condition can be caused by trauma to the anal canal, typically due to passing large or hard stools, chronic constipation or frequent diarrhoea, childbirth, anal intercourse, and certain systemic diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

An anal fistula, on the other hand, is an abnormal tunnel connecting the inside of the anus or rectum to the skin outside, near the anus. This condition tends to stem from an abscess in an anal gland. Conditions like Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, and sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis or HIV, as well as trauma or surgical complications, can lead to fistula formation. Very rarely this may also be caused by rectal or anal cancer.