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Updated: Aug 1, 2026
An In Vitro Approach to Photodynamic Therapy
Published on: August 17, 2018
Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of complex anal fistula
A Arroyo1, P Moya2, M A Rodríguez-Prieto3
1Coloproctology Unit, Department of Surgery, General University Hospital of Elche, C/ Camí de l´Almazara. No 11, 03203, Elche, Spain. arroyocir@hotmail.com.
Background:
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new procedure for the treatment of anal fistula. This preliminary study was designed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of this new technique in the treatment of anal fistula.
Methods:
Ten patients were treated with PDT. Intralesional 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) 2% was directly injected into the fistula. The internal and external orifices were closed. After an incubation period of 2 h, the fistula was irradiated using an optical fibre connected to a red laser (MULTIDIODE 630 PDT, INTERmedic, Spain) operating at 1 W/cm for 3 min (180 Joules). Patient demographics, operation notes and complications were recorded.
Results:
There were no complications. The average length of patient follow-up was 14.9 months (range 12-20 months). We could observe primary healing in eight patients (80%). Two patients (20%) showed persistence of suppuration after the operation. No patient reported incontinence postoperatively.
Conclusions:
PDT is a potential sphincter-saving procedure that is safe, simple and minimally invasive and has a high success rate.
