Outcome of laser therapy in patients with anal fissure

• Main Authors: Shahin H Fateh, Sedigheh Darvish-Shafighi, Afsaneh Norouzi, Massoumeh Kalantari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: Hamdan Medical Journal
• Online Access: http://www.hamdanjournal.org/article.asp?issn=2227-2437;year=2016;volume=9;issue=1;spage=69;epage=73;aulast=Fateh;type=0

In the past decade, several studies have investigated the effect of laser therapy on haemorrhoids, anal fistulas and tumours but few have explored its use in acute anal fissure. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of laser therapy in treating acute anal fissure. This clinical trial was conducted on all the patients referred to Valiasr Hospital, Arak, Iran, with acute anal fissure. Patients who were unresponsive to medical treatment and in whom surgery was indicated were divided into two equal-sized groups. Age, medical treatment duration, healing time, pain relief, relapse and indication for reoperation were recorded in all patients. The mean age of the patients and the mean medical treatment duration were significantly different in the two groups. Although there were no significant differences in the mean healing time and response to pain in the first and third months after surgery and laser therapy, by month 6 the mean response to pain was significantly different in the two groups. Frequency of relapse and need for further surgery were not significantly different between the groups. Laser therapy of acute anal fissure is a simple, non-invasive and painless surgical procedure with a low rate of complications. It can be viewed as an effective treatment for patients with anal fissure. However, this procedure has some limitations.