ArticleFrontiers in surgery2022
Sphincter-Preserving Fistulectomy Is an Effective Minimally Invasive Technique for Complex Anal Fistulas.
Article in Frontiers in surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Comparison of clinical outcomes of anal fistula plug and endoanal advancement flap repair treating the complex anal fistula: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Updates in surgery · 2023Pooled it
- Artificial intelligence in anal fistula: mapping evidence to IDEAL stages.Annals of coloproctology · 2026Review
- Healing and functional outcomes after treatment of high anal fistula with a modified anal fistula plug: a prospective cohort study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of Transanal Opening of Intersphincteric Space (TROPIS) versus conventional treatments for anal fistula.Surgery open science · 2025Review
- Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The optimal treatment of complex anal fistulas remains unclear, though many different sphincter-preserving procedures have been described. A minimally invasive technique with a better outcome is desired. The purpose of this study was to present a new technique-sphincter-preserving fistulectomy (SPF) and its clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed to compare the efficacy and outcomes of SPF with ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) in the management of complex anal fistulas in regards to postoperative pain, complications, wound healing time, recurrence, overall success rate, fecal continence function, and quality of life. Continence function was evaluated using the Wexner incontinence scale and anal manometry. The fecal incontinence quality of life (FIQL) scale was used to assess patients' quality of life. Results: From June 2020 to July 2021, 41 patients with 43 SPF procedures and 35 patients with 35 LIFT procedures were included. Postoperative pain was comparable between two groups. The morbidity rate and the mean wound healing time in the SPF group were lower than those in the LIFT group (2.3% vs. 48.6%, Conclusions: SPF is a novel, safe, and effective minimally invasive technique for the management of complex anal fistulas, with a promising success rate and negligible impairment on continence. Future prospective studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of SPF.
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