High-Intensity Laser Therapy - An Option for Managing the Pain in Anal Fissures

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Laser Therapy Applications

Background:

• Anal fissures (AFs) are common and often treated with surgery.
• The gold-standard surgery, internal lateral sphincterotomy, carries a risk of anal incontinence.
• There is a need for alternative, less invasive treatments for chronic AFs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel laser-fissure treatment (LFT) for anal fissures.
• To assess the impact of LFT on postoperative pain intensity.
• To analyze complication and incontinence rates associated with LFT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 38 patients treated with LFT on an outpatient basis.
• Pain intensity measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at multiple time points (D0, D7, D15, D30, D60).
• Statistical analysis using the Friedman test to assess pain reduction over time; complications and continence were also analyzed.

Main Results:

• Significant reduction in VAS pain scores from a mean of 4.1 pre-treatment to 0.1 at 60 days post-treatment (P<0.05).
• No significant change in fecal continence was observed during the 60-day follow-up.
• Minor complications occurred in 7.9% of patients, including hemorrhoidal thrombosis and skin tags.

Conclusions:

• Laser-fissure treatment (LFT) is an effective method for significantly reducing pain in anal fissure patients.
• LFT offers a minimally invasive approach to anal fissure treatment.
• The study suggests LFT does not negatively impact anal continence.