Hi everyone,

My fistulotomy is all healed up (it took just under 13 weeks, which seems about like the average time for a deep but low simply fistula) but ever since it fully healed I have been getting throbbing pain from the area, particularly after bowel movements and when sitting in certain positions. There is NO discharge or blood of any kind during bowel movements or otherwise. There is no abscess and no fever. The only abnormal bit is some hard tissue where the cut was and this hard tissue aches when I press on it, but this has been there since the fistulotomy was performed and I assume it is scare tissue (it has no size to it and is not an abscess). Wouldn't a recurrent fistula involve discharge or an abscess or something other than pain? The pain CAN occasionally be quite severe but can sometimes go away. It's been about 4-5 days since it began (right around the time the wound fully closed) but it also seemed to coincide with a slightly hard bowel movement I had 4-5 days ago. Could I possibly have a fissure? There is and was no blood though.

You could have a fissure or this could also be nerve pain from having had surgery down there. Maybe you could try icing the area when it is throbbing and see if it helps? Ice often confuses nerves and makes them stop causing pain.

Thanks! I visited my surgeon this afternoon and he said there was no signs of infection nor was there any sign of fistula recurrence. He said it was 99% healed with just a tiny 10th of an inch size spot that was at the surface but not fully healed over. He said that could be what was causing the pain. But yes nerve damage makes sense too. It's all fine by me so long as I don't need to be opened up again! :)

I know what you mean by NO MORE SURGERY!