Getting a Seton Drain soon and have a couple questions

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Getting a Seton Drain soon and have a couple questions

Postby eagle_v » 18 Sep 2017, 22:16

5 years ago, I had surgery to repair a fistula. Actually it was two surgeries about 6 months apart. All was well until about 4 months ago when I developed another abscess in the same area. I went to a colorectal surgeon who drained it and has had me come in for monthly follow-ups to see if it was going to develop into a tunneling fistula.

Just when it was looking like no further problems were going to occur, the abscess returned. So this time, the surgeon explained that because of my surgical history, he doesn't want to keep cutting the muscle and risk causing a problem with incontinence and instead wants to insert a seton drain.

I've seen other posts here referring to seton cords, or cutting setons. Are they all the same thing or are there differences. The way my doctor explained it, it sounds like they are different. Is post-op care easier with a seton? When I had the incisions, the bleeding seemed to last forever and I wore all types of bandages, pads, and even adult diapers at times. That usually passed quickly but complete healing took a long time.

Thanks for any insight!

Vince
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Re: Getting a Seton Drain soon and have a couple questions

Postby LemonMan » 19 Sep 2017, 02:53

Hi Vince, Sorry to hear about your circumstances. I'm no expert but as I understand it a cutting seton is tightened and slowly cuts through the muscle healing behind as it goes. A draining seton keeps the fistual open so it doesn't heal over. This allows it to drain and stops an abscess forming.

That's my basic knowledge on it.

Good luck, LM
Aug 14: Anal Abscess diagnosed
Dec 15: Anterior Anal Fissure diagnosed
Jan 16: Anoheal - Thought was healed end of Jan
Apr 16: Anoheal - Thought was healed end of May
Sep 16: Fissure back. Started Anoheal again
May 17: Botox and banding - fingers crossed
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Re: Getting a Seton Drain soon and have a couple questions

Postby eagle_v » 19 Sep 2017, 14:21

Thank you sir. The way you describe it is similar to what my doctor was implying. That the seton would drain until the abscess heals.

Since I was a repeat customer, he also took a little time to explain the long term potential for continued problems. He said the medical community has been fighting fistulas for hundreds of years with limited success. While searching for this group I ran across an article written by Hippocrates himself on treating fistulas...from 400 B.C.!! Hundreds of years indeed, more like thousands. I can live with it, but depressing all the same.

Thanks!!
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