Fistula-tract Laser Closure (FiLaC™): long-term results and new operative strategies

Fistula-tract Laser Closure (FiLaC™) is a sphincter-saving technique for the treatment of anal fistulas that has been shown to be successful in the short and middle term. However, the long-term success rate is unknown. This study aimed to report long-term results in performing FiLaC™.

This study was performed as a retrospective observational study. Forty-five patients who underwent FiLaC™ between July 2010 and May 2014 were evaluated. In all cases, FiLaC™ was performed with a diode laser at a wavelength of 1470 nm by means of a radial fiber. Patients and fistula characteristics, previous treatments, healing rates, failures and postoperative incontinence were reviewed.

Median follow-up time was 30 months (range 6-46 months). Thirty-five patients (78%) had a history of previous surgery for their fistulas. Primary healing was observed in 32 patients (71.1%), and the median healing time was 5 weeks (range 3-8 weeks). Eleven of the 13 failures (85%) were early failures (persistent symptoms). No patient reported postoperative incontinence. The best healing rate was observed in patients who had been previously treated with loose seton (19/24, 79%).

Long-term follow-up after FiLaC™ seems to confirm the favorable short-term success rates reported for this procedure. Although sealing of chronic anal fistulas may be obtained with FiLaC™ in a single treatment, our current strategy consists of placing a loose seton into the fistula tract a few weeks prior to laser treatment. Seton treatment facilitates the following laser procedure and seems to have favorable effects on healing.