ArticleTechniques in coloproctology2017
Five years of experience with the FiLaC™ laser for fistula-in-ano management: long-term follow-up from a single institution.
Article in Techniques in coloproctology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 61 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Laser Closure of Anal Fistula (FiLaC); Do we Need to Close Internal Orifice?
Intralesional Diode Laser Treatment of Fistulas in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Protocol for a Within-person Randomised Trial
FISTULA-RFA Trial (Fistula Inactivation by Segmental Thermal Uniform Lesion Ablation-Radiofrequency Ablation): A Prospective, Multicenter, Single-Arm Pilot Study in Patients With Perianal Fistula
Who cites it
61 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 179 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of FiLaC in different types of anal fistula. A systematic review and meta-analysis.Lasers in medical science · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Laser-Based Fistula Therapies with and without Adjunctive Measures in Anal Fistulas Management: A Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis.International journal of colorectal disease · 2025Pooled it
- Failure rates and complications of four sphincter-sparing techniques for the treatment of fistula-in-ano: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Techniques in coloproctology · 2025Pooled it
- Surgical management of complex perianal fistula revisited in a systematic review: a critical view of available scientific evidence.BMC surgery · 2023Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of FiLaC™ for perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Techniques in coloproctology · 2022Pooled it
- Heterogeneity in outcome selection, definition and measurement in studies assessing the treatment of cryptoglandular anal fistula: findings from a systematic review.Techniques in coloproctology · 2021Pooled it
- A systematic review of the quality of reporting of interventions in the surgical treatment of Crohn's anal fistula: an assessment using the TIDiER and Blencowe frameworks.Techniques in coloproctology · 2021Pooled it
- Simple fistula-in-ano: is it all simple? A systematic review.Techniques in coloproctology · 2021Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of the safety and efficacy of fistula laser closure.Techniques in coloproctology · 2020Pooled it
- Evaluation and management of perianal abscess and anal fistula: SICCR position statement.Techniques in coloproctology · 2020Guideline
- Short-term efficacy and safety of three novel sphincter-sparing techniques for anal fistulae: a systematic review.Techniques in coloproctology · 2017Pooled it
- Treatment of complex perianal fistulas with fistula laser closure : Application of the IDEAL 2A framework.Wiener klinische Wochenschrift · 2026Article
- Endoanal ultrasound-measured internal anal sphincter changes after nonablative 1470-nm diode laser therapy for anal incontinence: a prospective single-arm pilot study.Techniques in coloproctology · 2026Article
- Case report of combined application of three sphincter-preserving approaches in complex perianal fistula.Journal of surgical case reports · 2026Article
- Core-Out Fistulectomy Combined With Laser Ablation of the Trans-Sphincteric Fistula Tract: A Pilot Study of Efficacy and Safety.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026Article
- Ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tractWorld journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2026Article
- Does the location of the internal opening matter? A long-term retrospective study of the efficacy of FiLaCBMC surgery · 2026Article
- A novel sphincter-sparing procedure for seton removal in complex perianal fistulas: the FiLaFlap technique.Techniques in coloproctology · 2025Article
- Evidence outside the box: Minimally invasive treatment for anal fistula.World journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2025Review
- Article
1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
- Commented on by
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are limited data available concerning endofistular therapies for fistula-in-ano, with our group reporting the first preliminary outcomes of the use of the radial fibre Fistula laser Closing (FiLaC ™) device.
methodsThe aim of this study was to assess a cohort of anal fistulae managed with laser ablation plus definitive flap closure of the internal fistula opening over a long-term follow-up. Factors governing primary healing success and secondary healing success (i.e. success after one or two operations) were determined.
resultsThe study analysed 117 patients over a median follow-up period of 25.4 months (range 6-60 months) with 13 patients (11.1%) having Crohn's-related fistulae. No incontinence to solid and liquid stool was reported. Minor incontinence to mucus and gas was observed in two cases (1.7%), and a late abscess treated in one case (0.8%). The primary healing rate was 75/117 (64.1%) overall, and 63.5% for cryptoglandular fistulae versus 69.2% for Crohn's fistulae, respectively. Of the 42 patients who failed FiLaC™ 31 underwent a second operation ("Re-FiLaC™", fistulectomy with sphincter reconstruction or fistulotomy). The secondary healing rate, defined as healing of the fistula at the end of the study period, was 103/117 (88.0%) overall and 85.5% for cryptoglandular fistulae versus 92.3% for Crohn's fistulae. A significantly higher primary success rate was observed for intersphincteric-type fistulae with primary and secondary outcome unaffected by age, gender, presence of Crohn's disease, number of prior surgeries and the type of flap designed to close the internal fistula opening.
conclusionsThere is a moderate primary success rate using first-up FiLaC™ treatment. If FiLaC™ fails, secondary success with repeat FiLaC™ or other approaches was high. The minimally invasive FiLaC™ approach may therefore represent a sensible first-line treatment option for anal fistula repair.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.